282 How to obtain tt. 
king of fishes, and would have tried véry many more but for the 
way in which he is hedged about, in such a manner that some of 
his best friends are unable to help him. 
We have done so much to injure both the salmon and his 
hunting ground that it is surely time we did something to make 
amends for past grievances, and to show our appreciation of the 
gallant efforts which he has made to hold his own in many of our 
rivers. We have emptied the rivers during many months of the 
year by draining the hills ; we have rendered the water distasteful 
to him by polluting it. We have altered the temperature of the 
estuary by changing its nature; we have left him in pools to be 
destroyed by poachers, instead of giving him a friendly lift up or 
down, as he may require. We have done many other untoward 
acts, and it is about time that we sought to remedy some, at least, 
of the evils of the past. 
The water question is by no means such a difficult one as 
may at first sight appear. The advantages which may be made to 
accrue by letting off compensation water from reservoirs made on 
some of the upper tributaries of a river are too great to pass lightly 
by. This question of water storage is indeed one of the greatest 
importance, and entitled to the fullest consideration. The immense 
benefit arising from it does not need pointing out. To be able 
to make an artificial spate just at the right time is a power which 
might be exercised on a salmon river most beneficially ; indeed 
the effect is at present almost beyond calculation. 
On one river which I was called in to inspect, I saw a pool 
from which sixty salmon had been stolen in one night but a short 
time before. An artificial spate of a few hours’ duration would 
have helped these fish over the barrier which obstructed them. 
The loss to the river it is difficult to estimate. The intrinsic value 
of the sixty fish might perhaps be represented by as many pounds 
sterling, which alone would have paid a watcher a year’s wages ; 
but when we consider that these were spawning fish, and that their 
eggs and future offspring were lost to that stream absolutely, we 
begin to realise, after some reflection, that the loss was very 
serious. It might easily have been prevented. This is but one 
out of many cases that have come under my notice in one way or 
other. 
