82 Salmon at the Antipodes. 



some find fault with her. She's like bird-lime 

 to a fish; let her once touch a fish's fin, and 

 she has the rest of him pretty quickly. Down 

 came the trammel right on to the net below 

 in true orthodox style. Bound with them 

 both on to the bank. Three fish. Instantly 

 I was on to them, as they kick about in the 

 water. First, male ; second, female ; third, 

 male. The males fine, big fish, with red coats 

 on them, as though they were going to a Horse 

 Guards' parade, and beaks on the lower jaw 

 enough to frighten one. The female, alas ! 

 had not an egg in her ; all done spawning 

 long ago. 



" While I examined these fish the river spared 

 us not, and I observed that a bank of pebbles 

 on which I had been packing eggs was covered 

 with water. We were all, therefore, only too 

 anxious to be off, as a long stay on a desolate 

 island for a winter's night, in the middle of 

 the North Tyne, was not a pleasant prospect. 

 Several of the party, therefore, got into the 

 cart : the more the safer, as the cart would be 

 heavier in the stream, and less likely to tip 

 over. As I was waterproofed up to my neck, 

 I walked behind in the water, holding the 



