152 The Pamben salmon. Chapt. xii. 



a glimpse of it in the distance, and joined in therefore 

 with their story saying, "I saw you shewing him the butt." 



I am inclined to think much fun might be got out of 

 the seer fish. The matter wants developing. Perhaps a 

 good way to essay them would be with a light otter, with 

 just half a dozen spinning baits on the tow line, and the 

 whole attached to a salmon rod, and worked at the very 

 mouth of estuaries. 



It should be remembered that seer are not always 

 present. They do not make their appearance till a month 

 or so after the close of the monsoon, when they follow up 

 the little fish frequenting the rivers. The simplest way 

 to ascertain when they are in, is by having them for break- 

 fast from the fish market, for the natives net them as 

 soon as they come. 



In the Pamben channel, just opposite the Superintend- 

 ent's house, there are, or at least there used to be ten or 

 twelve years ago, a number of splendid runs. It is to be 

 hoped the Government has not cleared them away for the 

 benefit of the shipping!! Probably not, for they were not 

 in mid channel. There was a fish there that we used to 

 call the Pamben salmon ; and were well content with the 

 name, for in those days I had not troubled my head with 

 fish nomenclature and classification. Unfortunately 

 therefore I cannot give any other name to it now, than 

 the old one of the Pamben salmon. It was a sea-fish, 

 and much like a salmon, as is also the English bass or 

 salmon-bass. I only had one hour at them, but it is a 

 day to be remembered in all my lifetime. What splen- 



