Singular Mode of taking Salmon. 311 



pence the wine quart ; butter from ten pence 

 to a shilling a pound ; and the wages are from 

 ten pence to a shilling a day. 



The mode practised here in taking salmon is 

 singular. The river has a rapid fall; above the 

 bridge, on this declivity, are placed a number of 

 stone posts in different directions, to which nets 

 are suspended, and by which means the num- 

 ber of fish caught is considerable. Unfor- 

 tunately for us it was market day. On our 

 arrival at the inn, it had the appearance of 

 having been brim-full. The quantity of dirt 

 left behind by the guests would have been an 

 important treasure in its proper place. Neither 

 the master nor his servants appeared to feel the 

 least annoyance from it, or to deem any apo- 

 logy necessary ; on the contrary, our request to 

 have some parts of it removed seemed to create 

 surprise. Several post-chaises are kept at this 

 inn, two of which were standing in the open 

 street exposed to all the weather with their 

 blinds down , and we were assured that the 

 poultry frequently resorted to these machines 

 for a retreat. This inattention may possibly in- 

 duce a belief that carriages here were of little 

 consequence ; but the contrary is the fact ; for 

 posting is dear, and very deplorably conducted, 



