296 THE FALLS OF BALLYSHANNON. 



to me a good three ; and he did stick his 

 gaff in, that I know, hut how he did it, or 

 how I got to shore, is an undeveloped mys- 

 tery. At all events, you ate the fish to-day, 

 and the devil a one besides did any one 

 catch." 



€< Hurrah for dreams ! " said the Captain. 

 " Come, here we are at Cockburn's ; let us 

 top off with a good jug of punch to the 

 memory of your fish ; we'll have plenty more 

 to-morrow, if this weather lasts." 



Note. — There are few persons in any way connected 

 with the Irish fisheries who will not cordially agree 

 with the sentiments expressed in this chapter. Such 

 has been the progress of science in the arts of destroy- 

 ing fish, that if things go on as at present, in a very 

 few years the breed of Irish salmon will become extinct. 



The truth of this anticipation was impressed painfully 

 on the author's mind, during a short fishing tour which 

 he took in the south of Ireland during the summer of 

 1850. The rapids of Castle Connell on the Shannon, 

 which, take them altogether, are, perhaps, the very first 

 fishing-ground in the United Kingdom, had been de- 

 serted, first by fish, and then by fishermen ; the 

 Kitchen* and the Pantry* were alike empty, not one 

 single assembly had taken place in the Dancing Hole;* 



* These are the names of remarkable throws in the 

 Doonas rapids. 



