( i8 9 ) 



CHAPTEE XXI. 



THE VALUE OP SALMON FISHERIES. 



It is undoubtedly in the cold regions of the 

 North that we must look for the home of the 

 salmon. Sir John Eoss, in his Arctic explora- 

 tions, found salmon so abundant that he could 

 buy 100 lbs.' weight from the Esquimaux 

 for a knife, and enormous quantities were 

 consumed by this people, one having been 

 observed by him to dispose of a stone weight 

 at a meal. 



Pew nations have been so highly favoured 

 as Scotland in respect to their salmon fisheries, 

 but unfortunately, for want of proper legisla- 

 tion to protect the spawning fish, the value of 

 the fisheries has greatly diminished ; and 

 should there not be greater attention paid to 

 this question, and sufficient protection given 

 to the fish, there is a risk of the extinction of 

 the salmon in some of those rivers where they 

 formerly abounded. 



