62 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING 



seems extraordinary that the water, which had no 

 effect upon his colour when living in the river, should 

 have so decided a one after he was dead not bring- 

 ing back the original dye, but removing the dark 

 tint entirely. 



But to return to my subject. 



It is an undoubted fact that Salmon ascend some 

 rivers much earlier than others. I have rented 

 fisheries both in Tweed and Tay, and to my own 

 knowledge the latter river is a month earlier than 

 the former. The Esk and the Eden both fall into 

 the Solway Firth, and are only separated at their 

 mouths by a sharp point of land ; yet, according to 

 the statement of Mr. Howard,* a proprietor and 

 renter of the river Eden, new fish go up that river 

 three months before they ascend the Esk, and the 

 month of February is one of the greatest produce 

 there. The Irthing falls into the Eden, and may be 

 a fourth of its water ; but no Salmon run up it, 

 except in spawning time. Now the waters of the 

 Eden may be presumed to be of a warmer tempera- 

 ture than those of the Esk, which latter is a brawl- 

 ing shallow stream, wider also than the Eden, which 

 is of a deeper and more tranquil nature. 



Snow-water f is offensive to fish, and they will not 

 ascend a river whilst it is impregnated with it. 



* Evidence before Select Committee in 1825, p. 140. 



f There is snow-water and snow-water. A very cold dirty spate, 

 the result of a sudden thaw on snow lying in the valleys, may have 

 a deterrent effect on running fish. But the gradual melting of 

 " packed " snow on the hills is another matter. Some of the 

 Norwegian rivers depend largely on such snow for their early 

 summer volume and the consequent ascent of salmon. And the same 

 thing is in a measure true of some of the Scottish streams. (ED.) 



