THE CALIFORNIAN SALMON. 
155 
and Mr. Howitt advised that we should remain at Bruthen 
till dawn, and take some rest. 
I had prepared a box for a portion of the ice, with per- 
forated zinc inserted in the ends, and which was now 
nearly empty of ice. We sank this amongst the gravel in 
the current, and, after equalising the temperature, poured 
the salmon and the water which they were in, out of the 
cans into the box. The fish evidently enjoyed the change 
from being in the cans, to a rapid current in a natural 
stream, and leaped high out of the water in a way I never 
saw them do before. One got over the box, jumping over 
six inches high, and swam quickly away, and many leaped 
much higher, but fell back again. The box was fitted with 
a close lid, which prevented risk of loss in the night. The 
current, being strong, carried the fish against the per- 
forated zinc, and kept them there. To lessen the current 
a wall of loose stones was built round the box, and some 
placed on the top of it. The fish were fed with grated 
liver, the lid closed, a rope was tied round it, and fastened 
to the wheel of the waggon, to prevent its being carried 
away by a sudden rise in the river ; and after doing jus- 
tice to our dinner, we retired to very comfortable quarters, 
with the understanding that we should start at the first 
peep of dawn. 
Early as I was next morning, I found Mr. Howitt and 
Charlton before me at the river, in the grey dawn. They 
had examined the fish, and were just returning to tell me 
that they were as lively as possible, except two that had 
got pinned against the zinc by the force of the current, 
and which were suffocated. I had been very anxious 
during the night, as I did not anticipate these high tem- 
peratures, and I kept waking up, thinking of the salmon. 
The test was a very severe one. These fish had never 
before experienced higher temperatures than 60 deg. to 
