18 TROUT FISHING 



and dale, but not the less of streams, more 

 delightful to fishermen than almost any our 

 own country can boast of; no streams can be 

 better formed by nature to afford sport to the 

 fisherman, and there is but one thing wanted to 

 make those streams well stocked with abun- 

 dance of fish, and that is to preserve the waters 

 by one regular and uniform system, extending 

 from the estuary of the Taw to the fountain-head 

 of every stream or brook which in any part contri- 

 butes to it. Not only would the waters be speedily 

 filled with large trout, but salmon would abound, 

 and soon might the Devonians again realize the 

 times, as of yore, when the farmer was bound by 

 a special clause in his indentures with his appren- 

 tices, not to feed them on salmon more than three 

 days a week. This is a traditional story in North 

 Devon, and is commonly believed to be true ; at 

 any rate it is certain that salmon used to be very 

 abundant in North Devon rivers, and that they 

 are now very scarce, and any one who is familiar 

 with the natural history of the salmon, and with 

 the rivers of North Devon, the Taw and its tribu- 

 tary streams, must admit that there is no reason 

 why salmon should not again abound to such an 

 extent as to be a very considerable source of income 

 to the owners of the water. With railroads at 

 hand, the highest markets could be commanded, 

 and without doubt, a vast supply in a few years 

 would be annually sent from the Devon streams, 

 if the streams and the salmon received due atten- 

 tion ; the main points being : First. To let the 



