46 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING 



which are continually taking place in the Tweed, 

 and which put the channel in motion, and often sweep 

 away the spawning beds altogether. 



Before the hills were so well drained as at present, 

 this was not so much the case ; as the mosses gave 

 out the water gradually, and the river continued full 

 for a long time, to the great solace of the rod fisher. 

 But now every hill is scored with little rills which 

 fall into the burns, which suddenly become rapid 

 torrents and swell the main river, which dashes down 

 to the ocean with tremendous violence. Amidst the 

 great din, you may hear the rattling of the channel 

 stones, as they are borne downwards. Banks are 

 torn away ; new deeps are hollowed out, and old 

 ones filled up ; so that great changes continually 

 take place in the bed of the river either for the 

 better or the worse. 



When we contemplate these things, we must at 

 once acknowledge the vast importance of Mr. Shaw's 

 experiments ; for if ponds were constructed up the 

 Tweed at the general expense, after the model of 

 those made by him, all these evils would be avoided. 

 The fry might be produced in any quantities by 

 artificial impregnation ; be preserved, and turned 

 into the great river at the proper period of migration. 

 There might at first be some difficulty in procuring 

 food for them ; but this would easily be got over. 

 At a very small expense, and with a few adult 

 Salmon, more fry may be sent to sea annually than 

 the whole produce of the river at present amounts 

 to, after having encountered the sweeping perils I 

 have mentioned. 



