Salmon Fishing. 43 



my sensations, when in a very curt, if not un- 

 courteous manner, he informed me, that the whole 

 of the steamer had been engaged by a noble 

 Duke, to convey his servants, carriages, horses, 

 &c., to his castle in the Highlands, and that 

 there was no berth for me. Now, though tired 

 to death, and longing to be quiet, a sense of 

 wrong stirred me to let loose some rather "tall 

 talk " (as the Yankee would say). 



It struck me at the time, and on reflection 

 since I have seen no cause to change my opinion, 

 that the owners of the steamer were (morally 

 speaking) amenable to severe censure for not 

 advertising to the public, that their vessel had 

 been engaged the next voyage for the exclusive 

 benefit of one party, and that no one else could 

 have a berth in her. The steward listened 

 leisurely enough to me while I laid down the 

 law, and threatened to denounce the improper, 

 if not illegal, conduct of the owners. He merely 

 remarked in reply, that it was no business of his, 

 and he could not help it. The captain had not 



