THE BAOACHRO AND KERRY 



179 



3'acht has generally disappeared. It is very diflieult to stop these 

 depredators, who come with more boats than one ; and although 

 I and my gamekeepers frequently watch the night through, and 

 occasionally catch them in the act, yet many escape in the dark 

 nights, having cleared out, if the season is dry, nearly the whole 

 river's supply of fish, which were waiting at the mouth for a spate 

 to ascend. I regret to say that it sometimes happens that, after 

 having been warned off, and having promised not to repeat the 

 offence, the same yacht's crew have again made another attempt 

 during the same night." 



Mr. Young had previously to the receipt of this letter received 

 many similar complaints, for as far back as 1S74 he drew up a 

 circular on the subject and sent it to the secretary of every yacht 

 club in the United Kingdom. In spite of that notice, this sort of 

 poaching increased rather than diminished, and when it is re- 

 membered that there are over five thousand yachts in the United 

 Kingdom, and that the west coasts of Scotland and the Hebrides 

 are their favourite summer cruising grounds, it will be seen that the 

 issue of such a circular was warranted, although its receipt caused 

 a certain amount of indignation in some of the clubs. The evil 

 still exists, for in August 1895, when coming home from a belated 

 stalking trip on the hills at the head of the Glen Dhu, in Sutherland, 

 and forming part of the Duke of Westminster's Forests, I found 

 a yacht's crew busy scringing the mouth of the stream that falls 

 into the head of that loch. On seeing us come over the skyline, the 

 party hastened on board and steamed away. 



Now, people who can afford to own or hire yachts are usually 

 in a position to lay claim to the title of gentlemen, and would be 

 highly indignant if they were called thieves or poachers ; therefore 

 that they should, either directly or indirectly, connive at this law- 

 breaking has always appeared to me quite unaccountable, and I 

 believe in nineteen cases out of twent}' it is done without the 

 knowledge of the owner or hirer of the yacht. 



The mouth of the Kerry is very narrow and shut in by two 

 ridges of rocks. Below comes a deep pool, into which the tide 

 flows, then follows a beautiful bay with a gravel shore, formerly 

 a pet place for the poaching operations of the crews of yachts, but 

 now protected by large stones placed about it armed with iron 

 hooks, which has stopped this unlawful netting. 



In 1883 it was estimated that the take of salmon and grilse in 

 this district was froin 7000 to 8000, while the take to the rods 

 was less than 200, or fortj' to one, which disproportionate allow- 

 ance at the present time has increased nearly to one hundred to 

 one. 



