54 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS. [cHAP. VI, 
CHAPTER VI. 
Salmon-fishing — Salmon ascending Fords — Fishers—Cruives—Right of 
Fishing—Anecdote—Salmon-leaps— History of the Salmon—Spearing 
Salmon—River Poaching—Angling—Fly-making—Eels—Lampreys. 
During the spring and summer it is an amusing sight to watch 
the salmon making their way up the river. Every high tide 
brings up a number of these fish, whose whole object seems 
to be to ascend the stream. At the shallow fords, where the 
river spreading over a wide surface has but a small depth of 
water, they are frequently obliged to swim, or rather wade (if 
such an expression can be used), for perhaps twenty yards 
in water of two inches in depth, which leaves more than half 
the fish exposed to view. On they go, however, scrambling 
up the fords, and making the water fly to the right and left, 
like ducks at play. When the fish are numerous, I some- 
times see a dozen or more at once. They might be killed in 
these places by spears, or even a stick, and indeed many a salmon 
does come to his death in this way. The fishermen (when the 
river is low) save a great deal of useless fatigue, and of injury to 
their nets, by working in some pool immediately above a shallow 
place, where they station one of their number, who watches for 
the fish ascending, giving a signal to his companions whenever 
he sees one. They then immediately put out their nets, and are 
nearly sure to catch the salmon. In this way very few of the 
fish can escape as long as the water is low, but when a slight 
flood comes they can get up unperceived. It is as easy to see 
them in the night time as in the day, the water glancing and 
shining as they struggle up. Indeed on the darkest night the 
noise they make is easily heard, and distinguished by the accus- 
tomed ear of the fishermen. 
There iy something wild and interesting in listening during 
the night to the shout of the man stationed to watch, when he 
sees fish, and the sound of the oars and boat immediately after- 
wards, though the object of pursuit is but a fish after all. Some- 
