DEE SIDE JOTTINGS. 231 



salmon-pools of the Dee. The railway station of 

 Carrog, on the continuation of the new line between 

 Llangollen and Corwen, gives easy access to this part 

 of the river. For four miles below this station the 

 Dee may be fished from the bank with occasional 

 wading ; but to fish any part of the Glendwyr Pre- 

 serve in the best way, the use of a coracle is indis- 

 pensable. The employment of such a craft, however, 

 and the regulations of the Preserve, impose rather 

 serious restrictions on the freedom and pursuits of the 

 angler. To many the restrictions arising from both 

 causes amount to a positive prohibition of fishing the 

 best casts of the stream. In the first place, none but 

 subscribers of three guineas per annum to the Pre- 

 serve are allowed to fish it with a coracle at all. In 

 the next place, there being not more than three 

 coracle-owners on the river, to whom a person unac- 

 customed to this primitive style of navigation could 

 prudently confide his safety, one of these men and 

 his frail bark must he engaged by the intending 

 angler several days in advance, as the demand for 

 their services is very considerable. Nor can this be 

 wondered at, when we recollect that the fishing- 

 ground of which we are writing is within a few hours' 

 run of all parts of the wealthy and populous district 

 of Lancashire. After poisoning every stream and 

 river within their reach, the lords of the shuttle and 

 vat issue forth at stated times, like clouds of locusts, 



