THE DON 



123 



are, however, so poorly guarded by hecks, that each season sees 

 thousands of smolts killed by the mill wheels as they make their 

 way to the sea. 



On behalf of the cruive owners, of which there are several, it 

 must not be overlooked that these cruives have existed for a very 

 long period, and that up to about fifteen years ago they were a 

 property of considerable value. Owing, however, to the ob- 

 structions on the river by the dykes of the factories and the large 

 quantities of water abstracted by them for their various processes, 

 and to the serious pollutions caused by thoir refuse, as well as by 

 sewage, the cruive fishings have now greatly diminished in value ; 

 so much so, that during the last two seasons the whole take from the 

 cruives and on the Nether Don nettings below has not exceeded two 

 barrels a season — the barrel in this district being 416 lb. in weight, 

 which probably represents less than 100 fish in the two seasons ! 

 Compare this with the take on the Dee (but a few miles away) Fisheries 

 of the Aberdeen Harbour Commissioners, which in 1896 amounted 

 to over 20,000 salmon and grilse, and even in the bad year of 1897 

 was nearly gooo. Statistics such as these show very clearly that 

 there must be something radically wrong in the management of the 

 Don. 



The long-threatened Htigation has at last been initiated, and 

 proceedings are being raised by proprietors of fishings on the river 

 with a view of having the pollutions stopped, and such curtailment 

 made of the water abstraction by the factories as will at all times 

 allow enough water to pass over the dam dykes to permit fish to 

 ascend and descend whenever they Hke. The result of the Spey 

 distillery refuse prosecutions will doubtlessly have a bearing on this 

 case, but the question of the water abstraction is hkely to be keenly 

 contested, and probably some time will lapse before the matter is 

 finally settled. The Don fishings run as follows — the mileages are 

 only approximate, although not very much out ; — 



RIGHT OR SOUTH BANK. 

 Sir Charles Forbes. 



Glenkindie. 



H 



o 



a- 

 m 



w 



n 



< 



?d 



a 

 o 



LEFT OR NORTH BANK. 



Sir Charles Forbes. Castle Newe 

 extends from source for 15 or 

 16 miles on both sides. Re- 

 tained in his own hands. Fish 

 sometimes got in October. 

 Good spawning ground. 



Glenbucket, 3 miles. Poor salmon 

 fishing. Let to Mr. Percy Har- 



Glenkindie, 4 miles. Not many 

 fish. Old mill and Bridge Pools 

 the best. Belongs to Captain 

 A. H. Leith. 



