

THE GRILSE 165 



the trackless plains and forests of the ocean floor, 

 back to the home he left. It is possible that, as he 

 nears his destination, some perceptible flavour of his 

 own river may entice him nearer ; but whatever the 

 ties may be which draw him home, he will be found in 

 the autumn months a full-grown grilse of from 

 3 to 6 pounds in weight, with numbers of other grilse 

 of his own season, in the lower reaches of the salmon 

 rivers, waiting for a further call to take them away 

 back to the upland stream of their birth. 



THE GRILSE OR SALMON 



Here again meteorological conditions affect his 

 movements, and when the condition of the water 

 in the river up which he has to ascend is favourable, 

 his instinct again sets him going. It is now that all 

 the strength and stamina won during his salt-water 

 experience is required to carry him safely through 

 the perils and the difficulties of the up-stream run. 

 Not only has he to elude the wiles of the fisherman 

 and the onslaught of the otter, but he has to fight 

 against the bewildering turmoil of the rapids, and 

 the more deadly and difficult ascent of the falls down 

 which as a smolt he plunged so gleefully a few months 

 before. It is here, faced with the thundering fury of 

 the towering fall, that the difficulties and dangers 

 of his journey culminate. It can only be this ever- 

 compelling instinct which not only nerves him in his 

 first ascent to encounter such a danger, but also 



