SPORTING TOPOGRAPHY OF MAYO. 57 



There is, however, one solitary scintillating star ; — one ! 

 there are two. Confound the poteen ! it is the queerest, 

 pleasantest, out-o'-the-way drink imaginable ! — and the 

 ganger told such odd stories, and sang such extraor- 

 dinary songs ! the sooner I am in bed the better ! 

 What a field the Temperance Society would have here 

 for their exertions ! Well, if I rise without a headache, 

 rU immortalise the man who first invented distillation. 



We start under favourable auspices ; a sweet, steady 

 westerly wind is blowing, clouds and sunshine alternately 

 prevail, the river should be in good order, and we 

 anticipate that this will be a killing day. 



We have determined to fish the sister stream ; the 

 waters of Goolamore unite in the same estuary with 

 those of our own river, and yet the fish vary with regard 

 to season as much as if they inhabited waters a thousand 

 miles apart. In Goolamore throughout the whole 

 year, white* salmon are found in high condition ; in 

 Aughniss, from October till April, the fish are red, 

 spent, and worthless. In size, in character, the streams 

 are much alike : they unite in their debouchement 

 in the sea, and flow, but a few miles asunder, through 

 a flat and moory country. That the fish of these sister 

 streams should differ so much is surprising, and can 

 only be attributed to one circumstance : Aughniss is 

 a union of mountain streams, Goolamore flows from an 

 extensive lake, and affords an outlet to the waters of 

 Carramore. Judging, therefore, from the constant 

 supply of white fish which Goolamore yields all through 



* By the simple appellation of white and red fish, the peasantry 

 distinguish Salmon when in and out of season. Indeed, the colour 

 is such a perfect indicative of health and disease, tlia,t any person 

 who has frequented a salmon river will, on seeing a fish rise, be enabled 

 to tell with accuracy the state of his condition. 



