358 TRAVELS 
half way the noife of the river, which is heard at a confiderable 
diflance, fuggefted to us the idea of a catarad:; and having, in 
confequence of this circumftance, traverfed a w'ood, w : ith a pca- 
fant for our guide, we came to the place from which the found 
proceeded, and found that it w T as occafioned by the vehemence 
and rapidity of the river forcing itfelf through a narrow paffage. 
Here we fell in with two or three parties fifhing for falmon, and 
we helped them to draw a net, which contained five or fix fifli of 
very confiderable fize. 
The common method of catching falmon in the North is by 
driving a palifade, which extends from one bank as far as the 
middle of the river, and fometimes even to the oppofite fide : 
between the flakes of the palifade they put branches of trees, or 
perhaps net-work, which hinder the falmon from afcending the 
flream, and leave only one opening where the fifli may pafs 
through, but where they have placed a net which is ready to re¬ 
ceive them. It is not permitted to make their lax-pata, the Fin- 
landifli term for the palifade, longer than a certain meafure, and 
they pay in proportion to its length, and alfo its proximity to the 
mouth of the river; for fuch as are high up the river can only 
catch the falmon that efcape all the fifliers below them. This 
palifade, or lax-pata, is always fet where the river is moft noify, 
and where it forms a fall. The people of the country fhew an in¬ 
credible dexterity in walking along thofe flakes, w 7 hich the force 
of the current fhakes in a furprifing manner : women and children 
trip over them with w T onderful adroitnefs and facility. We wifhed 
to 
