SALMON-NETTING AT CHRISTCHURCH 45 



beyond comparison the finest fish that swims in British 

 seas. 



The first fish taken in the day gives an impulse 

 to the work of every boat. Salmon seldom come up 

 singly, but rush into the fresh-water in little parties 

 of two, three, or four, and not unfrequently the whole 

 company are taken in a single net. The fortunate 

 captors " track " their boat back to the ferry at the 

 head of the " Run " to await their next turn, and 

 meantime row across to the little inn which stands 

 upon the point. To carry a 20 Ib. salmon by the 

 gills, a man crooks his arms in to the hip, and even 

 so only just swings its tail clear of the ground. The 

 arrival of the fish is awaited by a critical company 

 of veterans, knowing in the subject, who have already 

 guessed its weight and recorded their opinions with 

 a minuteness and emphasis which show that reputations 

 may be made and lost even in guesses at the size 

 of a salmon seen at a distance of two hundred yards 

 upon the sands. For the fishing is alike the sport 

 of youth and the solace of age. Custom allows one 

 share of the proceeds to the boat, one to the net, 

 and two to the crew, and veterans who own the two 

 first can afford to spend their day watching the efforts 

 of the last to earn a living at all. The accuracy with 

 which the size is guessed is surprising. Of a dozen 

 estimates made of the weight of a salmon which turned 

 the scale at exactly 20 Ibs., a mistake of i^ Ibs. was 

 the utmost limit of error. No difficulty is made 

 of selling the fish upon the spot ; and any one who 



