CAIRN NET. 81 



years previous to 1824 it averaged £12,000 a year 

 but in that year only about £10,000. With the 

 present rental I am unacquainted. 



"The fishings, as regards their relative value, may be 

 divided into the following classes : — The first compre- 

 hends the short distance from the mouth of the river 

 to Berwick Bridge, where alone there are probably 

 a greater number of salmon captured than in all the 

 remainder of the river. From Berwick Bridge to 

 Norham, to which place the tide reaches, may be 

 considered the second class: as far as this place the 

 net and coble only are in use. From Norham to 

 Coldstream Bridge the fishings are of still less value ; 

 and here, besides the net and coble, the various 

 modes of fishing practised in the upper parts of the 

 river are also in use — rod fishing, setting, leistering; 

 cairn, hanging, and straik nets. From Coldstream to the 

 Bridge of Kelso the net and coble are used only par- 

 tially in floods ; and on Mondays, says Mr. Houy, when, 

 by the cessation of the lower fishings on Sunday, the 

 salmon get further up, T have seen from 100 to 500 

 salmon and gilses caught at Kelso in the morning by 

 the net and coble. From Kelso to the higher districts 

 of the river the principal modes of fishing are by the 

 rod, leister, cairn and straik net." 



When fish are ascending the river the cairn net is 

 very destructive. In the parts of the river most favour- 

 able for placing it a cairn is built, as in the vignette. 

 This projection into the current makes the water com- 

 paratively still and easy below ; and Salmon in travel- 

 ling naturally take to it, as finding there some relief 



