62 
Appendices to Ninth Annual Report 
crease the flow of water to the mill. On these stakes branches and 
rubbish catch, so that at times during the spring and summer months the 
pass is completely blocked j and even when free from wreckage there is 
sometimes not over half a foot of water passing through it. 
In proof of what T say, I would mention that over 50 salmon kelts 
were one day last spring netted in the pool above and turned over the 
caul by Mr Seattle's men in presence of the water-bailiffs, and I need 
hardly add that these fish were pool bound and unable to get through the 
pass. On this same occasion not a single fresh-run sea-trout was caught, 
though it was their usual season for running — another proof, if any were 
needed, that the pass is not in a proper state. 
The mill-race from the Caul to Newbie Mill is upwards of half a mile 
in length, and down this a strong and deep current flows, yet there is 
neither sluice nor grating at its entrance, consequently fry, salmon, sea- 
trout and herling kelts, on their way to the sea, go down it in great 
numbers. The salmon are stopped at the big mill wheels by a grating 
through which they cannot pass, and the bulk of them are taken out by 
poachers, w]j.o hang about the mill-race during the early spring months. 
The fry, and also sea-trout and herling kelts, are sucked through the 
grating; the former I have seen there in thousands, when many were 
taken through the bars ; and as the water falls with considerable force on 
the flanges of the revolving wheels, which sweep to within an inch or two 
of the bottom, they must necessarily receive injury or be killed. At one 
side of the wheels there is a pipe used as a bye-wash, but I believe this is 
never open except on Sundays, and its angle is so abrupt that any fish 
passing through it is probably dashed against the mill-wall below. There 
is also a sluice some way above the mill, but this is only lowered in time 
of heavy flood for the protection of the mill, which works continuously 
night and day from Monday morning to Saturday night. 
Until a year or two ago this mill was comparatively a small affair with 
only one wheel, and it might be advisable to inquire into the nature of its 
licence, for as it is at present worked with two wheels, it draws so much 
water from the river that considerable mischief is done. 
The state of the pass and the unprotected state of the mill-race, which 
should be provided with a grating at its entrance, were brought by me to 
the notice of the Secretary of the Fishery Board, and also to that of the 
Chief Constable, in May last, but these matters do not appear to have as 
yet received the attention which they so urgently require. No doubt 
there are other cauls — fish-passes and mill-races further up the river and 
on its tributaries which require looking to, though I confine my remarks 
to what are more immediately under my notice. 
The headwaters of the Annan and its branches are left almost entirely 
unprotected, ordy a few bailiffs being provided for some of the lower 
sections of the main river. Most of the fish — salmon, sea-trout, and 
herling — run to the higher waters and spawning grounds, and it is a fact 
that but few return, most of them being taken out by shepherds and 
others, who look forward to this their winter fish harvest. The fry, too, 
are caught in great numbers by boys, and even men, during the spring 
months, and a gang of poachers from Dumfries have of late years been in 
the habit of netting the upper pools and clearing them of trout, &c. 
I would suggest that gamekeepers on the estates through which the 
rivers pass be granted certain powers for the protection of the fish, for the 
knowledge that they have such powers would put a check on fish poach- 
ing. Water-bailiffs, too, should be in undress instead of in uniform, in 
order that they might the more readily surprise and come upon poachers 
unobserved. 
