Sweden. 



53 



across it, under a heavy penalty -, moreover, many of these Lapland 

 and Norrland rivers (and I should not wonder if this is the case 

 with the greater part of the Alten) are altogether crown property, 

 and no one, save a crown bailiff, has a right to interfere with any 

 man fishing there, and this no crown bailiff would do, if he met a 

 foreigner fishing with a rod and line. In fact, I am pretty certain 

 that half of their northern rentings are a mere myth, and other 

 fishermen are only kept off because they are told by the London 

 fishing-tackle makers, or others that know nothing about it, that 

 Lord So-and-So has hired the water, and has the exclusive right to 

 fish. Fancy the whole of the water in such a land as Norway 

 being all taken up by about half a score of men. Why, the statement 

 is too absurd on the very face of it to be believed for a moment. 



I am not a salmon-fisher myself. I have neither the time or the 

 money to throw away upon it j but I well know if I was, that I 

 would soon see how many of their rentings would stand good ; and 

 even if I wished to fish on so-called preserved water (unless it was 

 strictly preserved by a native for his own fishing, and then I could 

 always obtain leave by paying) I would do so without asking any 

 one's leave. It is perfectly absurd to talk about preserving either 

 shooting or fishing through the agency of a northern peasant. All 

 I should require to fish the best water in Norway would be a good 

 interpreter to parley with the peasants and there are plenty such 

 to be found in Christiania who would like the job a good guide or 

 two who knew the river and the peasants well, a nine-gallon cask 

 of Bianvie (on which I should place by far the greatest reliance), 

 and just an "inkling," as the Scotch say, of the sun. The lessee, 

 whoever he was, paid in rent for his water. Moreover, if a trespasser 

 is caught, the peasant or owner of the land will always accept the fine 

 at the time (the owner or guardian of field or water has a right to seize 

 a man's gun or fishing-tackle, and hold it till the fine is paid) ; but 

 I should trust entirely to my nine-gallon cask and the " soft sawder " 

 of my guide, and I never yet knew a Northern peasant able to 

 withstand these. Moreover, the middle of the stream is always open 

 to me, and it would be very odd if, with a couple of good rowers, 



