246 WILD LIFE AND THE CAMERA 



which they can gratify their desires. But for the 

 man of moderate income, who counts on spending 

 from thirty to sixty pounds (one hundred and fifty to 

 perhaps three hundred dollars) for his well-earned 

 vacation of two or three weeks, there is practically 

 unlimited open salmon water in the island of New- 

 foundland. So far as I know, this is the only 

 country in which laws absolutely prevent the 

 leasing of rivers, either by individuals or clubs. 

 The Government claims the rivers and a certain 

 amount of the adjoining land which is open to any 

 man who would fish. This policy, regarded even 

 from a purely business point of view, has every- 

 thing to recommend it. Every sportsman coming 

 to the country leaves anywhere from seventy-five 

 dollars to several hundred dollars, and the guides 

 get pretty steady employment. When a club takes 

 a river the fishing rights are restricted to a very few 

 men, most of whom will seldom visit the club. 

 And when an individual leases water he is usually 

 very enthusiastic for the first season or so, then 

 other places claim his attention and the river will 

 be idle often for many years in succession, no man 

 getting the benefit of it, either as guides or as 

 fishermen.* It is true that the fish do not run so 

 large as those found in the Restigouche or some of 

 the other well-known rivers, but then we cannot all 

 fish those rivers, and the fishing in Newfoundland 

 is quite good enough to satisfy anyone not 

 absolutely spoiled by unusually large fish. Under 

 ordinary conditions a man should be able to 



* Since this was written the game and fishing laws have been 

 somewhat changed, and now a rod licence is compulsory. 



