Salmon Fishing. 83 



a smolt of so tender an age as sixteen months 

 could increase in dimensions to such an extent, 

 within two years, as to weigh half a dozen 

 pounds, to say nothing of eleven or twelve. And 

 yet in this instance, from the shape of the fish, 

 the size and consistency of his scales, and above 

 all by the comparatively soft fins, it was pointed 

 out to me by several Invernessites, that the last 

 beauty I had bagged in their river was a 

 veritable grilse of no greater age than two 

 years. 



How few of us are ever quite satisfied, be 

 the present condition of things no matter how 

 pleasant. The privilege I had in my power 

 of fishing some of the pools of such a river as the 

 Ness was valued so highly, that though I had 

 already enjoyed it for some days, an enthusiastic 

 lover of the craft said he would gladly give 

 me thirty pounds for the remainder of the time I 

 had at my disposal. I told him of course 

 that though it was utterly out of the question 

 for me to think of selling what the generous 



