A DAY AT LOUGH MELVIN. 69 



11 Poacher," * broke in the Captain. 



" Well, poacher if you will, but none the 

 worse for that. It is not always you can get 

 a boat, and whipping from a lake shore is 

 always fatiguing, and very seldom profit- 

 able." 



While this conversation was going on, the 

 boats had passed the bridge, and were pul- 

 ling across the deep water that separates 

 Grove Island from Ennis na Shia. 



" Come along," said the Captain, leaping 

 ashore, and driving the spike of his rod into 

 the green turf; " now for repose and to- 

 bacco. We have done enough for fame — 

 eras ingens iterabimus cpquor." 



* Cross-lines and otters are now legalised ; but the 

 fisherman must take out a license for them, which will 

 cost him twenty shillings. It were far better to make 

 them contraband altogether, for the injury they do to 

 the fishing is incalculable. The fish, frequently pricked, 

 become soon so shy as to refuse the fly altogether; and 

 thus the otter-fisher destroys the fair fisherman's sport 

 and his own at the same time. 



