48 A DAY AT LOUGH MELVIN. 



miles, and neither the river nor the lake has 

 any tributary of consequence. The whole 

 supply, therefore, of the waters is derived 

 from the upper lake, and passes through the 

 narrow channels which insulate the town of 

 Enniskillen. 



Both lakes, lying nearly east and west, feel 

 therefore the full sweep of a westerly gale, 

 and thus it often happens, after a sharp 

 breeze, that the waters, banked up as it 

 were at the eastern end, produce a consider- 

 able flood at Enniskillen, while at the same 

 time the depth of the river between Belleek 

 and the sea will be diminished as much as a 

 couple of feet. 



A few hours' calm must, of course, bring 

 everything to its level ; but, in the mean 

 time, the salmon, frightened and driven from 

 their usual stations, roam about disconsolate, 

 or throw themselves madly out of the water, 

 but seldom or never take the fly. 



It was to ascertain this that the Parson 

 had sought the flags of Eose Isle, and was 

 at that moment reluctantly schooling his 

 mind to realise the evident fact, that his long 

 rod might just as well hang in its brackets 

 that day. 



