230 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING. 



of the water is ruffled by the wind. As soon as the 

 river is thus fairly in order, take the first good day 

 that occurs ; you may not have many more ; and if 

 you have, you will not mend the matter by wai ting- 

 too long, as after a continuance of hot weather a green 

 vegetable substance rises from the bottom, which 

 lessens the transparency of the water. 



If you have a man sufficiently clever with the leister, 

 let him stand in the water at the head of the stream 

 whilst you are trying below, that he may strike the 

 fish which endeavour to pass out of it into another cast. 

 If you have no such man, and there are very few who 

 can see a fish pass up a rapid gorge, you may hang a 

 net in the stream ; but you must not bar the river by 

 stretching it quite across, as that is illegal. If you sun 

 a large pool where there is deep water, and various runs 

 and eddies in it, it is advisable to place nets in such 

 situations as are most favourable for fish to strike into 

 when they are disturbed by the boats, and the other 

 means in use for frightening them. The pass being 

 thus in part secured and all prepared, the next thing is 

 to rout about, and endeavour to frighten the fish by 

 every means in your power, so that they may hide 

 themselves under the rocks and stones, or even lie, as 

 they sometimes do, half stupified beside them, when 

 you may strike them with the leister. To effect this, 

 it is usual to begin by rowing your boat or boats over 

 the pool with some white object hanging in the water 

 from the stern : the skulls of horses are in high repute 

 for this service ; and I dare say a stuffed otter would 

 be excellent, though I never tried it. 



