178 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING. 



■with attending to them, but thought it wisest to 

 trust to rny own discretion, which fortunately carried 

 the boats safely to their place of destination. I learned 

 afterwards, that seeing our boats were mere insignifi- 

 cant cockle-shells borne down by the flood with great 

 impetuosity, they were fearful that we should be 

 carried down the mill-dam, and come in contact with 

 the machinery. But a better fate awaited us than 

 such a Quixotio one ; and after a little rough work, in 

 which we shipped a reasonable quantity of water, we 

 at length approached the vast bleaching grounds of 

 Perth, where the river swept swift and ample in an 

 even channel under a wooded bank studded with 

 villas ; we then darted through the middle arch of the 

 beautiful bridge in the town, and hauled up our boats 

 on a wharf below it. 



