THE FALLS OF BALLYSHANNON. 9TIS 



pitated into the sea. Any fish so swept 

 away become eternal exiles from their river ; 

 it is impossible for them to ascend the fall, 

 the leap being quite as much as a salmon 

 can manage ; and it is equally impossible 

 for them to leave the spot, as their lungs are 

 unfitted for the salt water : thus the only 

 place where they can obtain a taste of their 

 native element is the foot of the falls, where 

 they congregate in great numbers. 



Besides the principal stream, there are 

 two smaller branches, isolating the rock on 

 which the fishermen were assembled. The 

 main river is always left open, so as to give 

 free passage to the fish ; this, indeed, is 

 not optional, as the body of water is quite 

 great enough to sweep away any obstacle 

 that might be placed on it. But the latter, 

 which by artificial means are rendered much 

 more easy of access, are secured by boxes, 

 in which, with the assistance of some nets 

 below, two or three tons of fish are fre- 

 quently taken during the twenty-four hours, 

 seldom less than half that quantity ; and 

 generally as much as eighty, a hundred, or 

 even a hundred and twenty tons, during their 

 three months' season. 



