March 25, 1893] 
THE FISHING GAZETTE 
227 
to be content with small mercies. That the 
streams that tlow through Catskill valleys are 
fishy-looking, goes without saying, and that 
some sport will be had in North and South 
Lakes, and also in Catskill Creek, is more than 
probable. But these sparkling streams call back 
to memory a splendid bog in the Land of Erin 
to which 1 was taken by a Hibernian gillie for a 
day’s sniping. To look at, this marsh was the 
beau ideal of a snipe-shooter’s paradise. A mossy, 
bull-rushey swamp, affording e.xcellent cover, 
and girdled by a clear rippling brook. ^Every¬ 
thing in fact to make a gunner rejoice, and to 
make a snipe happy. Pat’s gun had evidently 
been making things lively in the neighbourhood, 
and master Jack with the majority of his kins¬ 
folk had taken their departure for change of air, 
so after a trudge of nearly five miles through 
peat deposits and quagmire, the day came to a 
close with the grand total of a “ couple.” I was, 
of course, much disappointed, but received not 
the slightest consolation or sympathy from my 
attendant, who naively remarked, “Begor, I nivir 
see the likes afore; it ginerally do be sniven wid 
’em (meaning snipe), but shuro there’s nare a 
one at all in it now.” 
“ Not many, Pat, I’m thinking,” I replied. 
“Well now, your honer, did ye ever see a 
purtier bit of a bog, or a more liable (likely) 
place fer snipe?” 
“Never, Paddy, never,” I rejoined. “Its the 
liablest lyingest bog I ever had the displeasure to 
shoot over, and if it were mine I’d dram it, or at 
least have it preserved.” 
This yarn is, to a great degree, applicable to 
Catskill waters; so, happy are they who expect 
little, for they shall not be disappointed. Never¬ 
theless, to be so close and pass on without visiting 
this charming locality would be a slur on the 
memory of good old Van Winkle and Washington 
Irving, and would be a downright insult to the 
entire population of New York State. My advice 
therefore is, fish or no fish, try a little Catskill 
calling, if only for a couple of days. 
Returning to the landing, we resume our river 
voyage, when, passing Dlerino, Hudson, and 
Athens, a run of thirty-three miles brings us to 
Albany, the State capital of New York. Spending 
a short time visiting the lions of this city, we 
then board the boat, and continuing up the 
stream reach the head of navigation on the 
Hudson at Troy. This is a charming town, 
situated at the mouth of the Mohawk River, and 
standing on a flat, is bounded on the east by the 
lofty peaks of JMount Ida and Mount Olympus. 
Through the ravines descend the foaming waters 
of Poeston Kill and Wynant’s Kill, forming in 
their course many beautiful cascades. 
{To he continued.) 
SAVED BY FRANK BUCKLAND; 
OR, THE RESULT OP A VENTURE IN 
FROZEN SALMON. 
On the completion of the Inter-Colonial Rail¬ 
way, faffording to the long-isolated northern 
portions of the maritime provinces a speedy 
outlet to Boston and New York, it became 
necessary for the salmon buyers to hold the often 
heavy runsjof salmon they were compelled to buy, 
from glutting the markets. In 1877 the first 
freezer in the county was erected by John P. Mowat. 
In 1878 Lord Lome expressed a desire to see its 
working. I took him through it, showed him 
samples, and explained the mode. He said, “ It 
is a pity you could not have some of these fish in 
England when their season closes.” 1 said 1 
thought it feasible, but risky. “ If you make the 
attempt let me know, and I will give you letters 
to some of the large dealers,” which he did, but 
they were to the wrong class, who could not assist 
us. By June 30, 1879, there were some 80,0001b. 
in freezer, and the outlook for the American 
market was not promising. I urged my son to try 
the venture, but the risk scared him, as his capital 
was small, and if he assumed the whole risk and 
lost, he was ruined. However, a partner was 
obtained, who assumed one half, paying cash 
for his share of cargo—Hon. T. S. Carvell, 
now Lord Governor of Prince Edward’s Island, 
had the courage to try it. No, insurance could 
be had against damage to cargo, only on total loss 
of ship. 
A new brig was chartered, the Louise, fitted up 
with dead houses, a supply of ice and salt, 
()4,0001b. of salmon, and Thomas Mowat as super¬ 
cargo and to keep the freezers in order. The 
brig left on October 15, got into a north-west 
hurricane, lost a man overboard, started her 
stern-post, ran into Port Hawksbury, C.B., and 
refitted ; left on the 23rd, and hauled into Millwall 
Dock, London, on Nov. 21, cargo in prime condi¬ 
tion. IVlr. Carvell and I went home on the mail 
steamer, and were looking for ten days for the 
Louise. 
During this time we found small encourage¬ 
ment ; the caution and conservatism of the 
Englishman is proverbial. An old gold mine, or 
a played-out railway bond, offered cheap, will 
tempt him to part with his money when nothing 
else will. The meters (inspectors) from Fish¬ 
mongers’ Hall inspected the cargo, pronounced it 
good, only “ very hard.” My friend and 1 
thought. Not a salmon in market, the Rhine 
frozen over, not a winter fish from there, our fish 
in fine order—“ surely we are for once on the 
right track.” We knew a little of Fulton and 
Washington markets in New York, but as yet 
we were in blissful ignorance of Billingsgate. 
We soon found, by our broker as well as by our¬ 
selves, and notwithstanding Lord Lome’s letters 
to prominent dealers in the West End, that 
retailers could do nothing, not even accept a box 
of fish as a present to place on their stalls. The 
Billingsgate magnates put us off, promising to 
oome and examine the fish from day to day. 
Meantime we were sending a few to Liverpool, 
Edinburgh, and a few of the large provincial 
towns. They did not seem to take well, and, 
when the heavy rail charges and commission 
were deducted, left small profit. In four or five 
days the great magnates paid the brig a visit, 
and were shown samples, particularly one which 
had hung from the masthead since the arrival of 
the brig, this being the first solidly-frozen fish 
(any they had seen previously having thawed out) 
they had handled. A good many questions were 
asked as to “ How prepared ? ” “ How long could 
they be kept ? ” “ Where were our markets ? ” &c. 
No doubt some of our answers did not satisfy 
them; their idea was that we would have to 
throw them on the market. At last, Mr. Steven¬ 
son said, “ Well, the sooner you put the rags on 
your brig and take her over to the Yankees, the 
sooner you’ll sell, we would not give you 3d. 
(six cents.) per pound for your cargo, ’ and they 
meant it. Nice outlook for us two poor Canadians 
who had risked so much to give the Londoners 
a fresh Restigouche fish when they had none, 
“ even if it were a little hard.” So two or three 
days passed over us, “ with our spirits literally 
in the ashes,” notwithstanding all our broker’s 
efforts to keep them up. I cabled my son, “ Can’t 
sell,” and the only way he could relieve his mind 
was by splitting with a dull axe all the rock 
maple burls he could find in the wood yard. I 
had obtained permission from the Princess 
Louise to send her a salmon, for which she thanked 
me, and ordered it to Osborne, for which place 
she was just leaving. I also sent his Grace the 
Duke of Beaufort one, with a note saying the 
dealers would not sell for us, or buy. The Duke 
at once came in from Chippenham, drove round 
the West-end dealers ordering Canadian salmon, 
amongst others, of Mr. Charles, one of Lord 
Lome’s principal tradesmen. He was met with 
the story, “ None in market, sir ; no Dutch fish. 
Canadian frozen stuff, sir ; could not recommend 
them, sir.” The Duke would quietly ask, “ Have 
you seen the fish?” “Oh no. sir; Billingsgate 
won’t buy.” “ Ah !” says the Duke, “ I see; well 
I know the river they came from. I have had 
those fish since they came on ray table; quite 
good enough for me, tell Billingsgate so, and 
when you get them send me a couple to Bad¬ 
minton.” We never can forget his kindness to 
us strangers, he is one of nature’s true noblemen. 
Having heard a good deal of Frank Buckland, 
I made up my mind I would call on him, and, if 
nothing else, talk pisciculture. I therefore boxed 
a couple of nice fish, and found my way to Hyde 
Park-terrace. Found him home. Marked 
“ Canadian pisciculturist ” on my card. Mr. 
Buckland at once made me at home; had 
seen my name and reports in the Canadian 
Blue Books, and was pleased to have me 
call. After talking pisciculture for a little, 
I told him my principal business. He had heard 
of the cargo, and the samples pleased him very 
much. I explained Billingsgate’s action, and 
that, notwithstanding our success in bringing 
over the cargo, it would be financial ruin. Mr. 
Buckland’s estimate of Billingsgate’s action could 
be easily seen. “ I did not think,” he said, “ they 
would use you so hard as that. What can you 
afford to sell for, and leave you a profit ? ” I told 
him Is. Od. per lb. would be sufficient. He wrote 
me about thirty names on a sheet, gave me a lot 
of his cards, and said, “ Send to-morrow each of 
those parties a cut of salmon, with my card. I 
will give your article a place in Land and Water 
to-morrow (Saturday); come back and see me on 
Wednesday.” I sent a whole salmon to each 
party, of whom the majority were editors, send¬ 
ing a 401b. fish to put in the Fleet-street office. 
Saturday’s issue of Mr. Buckland’s paper gave 
us a good send-off. Monday morning’s issue of 
the London papers followed suit. On Tuesday 
the retail dealers were nonplussed, the whole cry 
was Canadian salmon ; and on Wednesday morn¬ 
ing the cry was repeated by them at the whole¬ 
sale market, “ Must have it, whole town want it.” 
So the great Stevenson made his appearance 
at the broker’s office at two o’clock, ordering 
eighty salmon for next morning. Before he left 
the broker told him the limit set upon the fish. 
“ Too much; don’t send them.” However, he 
thought again, and sent his servant back to say, 
“ Send the fish.” 
Next day another firm called on Mr. Carvell, 
asking for a portion of the cargo. Mr. Carvell 
said one party could sell all, but if he choose to 
advance the price Id. per lb., he could have 
exclusive sale for three days, which was accepted. 
Another firm, Poland Bros., did the same. Finally 
Is. 9d. was obtained. Mr. Carvell got the Paris 
market opened for the smaller sized ones, which 
suited their market, and the cargo of the good 
brig Louise was sold out by New Year’s Day, 
leaving a net profit to the owners of a little over 
8,000 dels.—not so bad for two green Canadians ; 
but only for Mr. Buckland, with whom I had 
many a talk on both salmon and moose, we would 
not have realised enough to pay our charter- 
party. John Mowat. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE MOST CELE¬ 
BRATED ANGLING STATIONS IN 
NORTH AND SOUTH WALES. 
(Repkinteu fro.u George Agar Hansard’s 
“Trout and Sagmon Fishing in Wales.”) 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. 
The principal rivers are the Tfif, the Tawe or 
Tawy, the Nedd or Neath, the Llychwyr or 
Loughor, the Ewenny, the Ogmore, and the 
Rhymni or Romney. The banks of these, and of 
the numerous smaller streams of the mountains, 
are in most places distiuguised for the 
picturesque grandeur or rich beauty of their 
scenery. 
The Taf. 
This romantic stream is formed by the junction, 
on the northern border of the county, near Coedy- 
cummer, of two streams, called respectively the 
Taf Vawr and the Ta Vechan, “the greater and 
lesser Taf,” which descend from the highest 
mountains of South Wales, the beacons of Breck¬ 
nockshire. On reaching Quaker’s Yard, about 
twelve miles below Merthyr Tydvil, it is joined 
by a mountain stream, called Bargoed Taf; still 
lower, by the Cynon, which descends from the 
parish of Penderin, in Brecknockshire; and a 
few miles further this river is augmented from 
the same side by the waters of the two Rhonddas. 
After flowing nearly southward, it jiasses Llandaff 
and Cardiff, and falls into the Bristol Channel. 
Its stream, in dry weather, is frequently scanty; 
but in cases of sudden rains or thaws the waters 
of this, as of all other mountain rivers, roll over 
their rocky bed in an impetuous and destructive 
torrent. The vicinity of Merthyr Tydvil has 
greatly contributed to render certain portions of 
the Taf unworthy the angler’s attention. The 
poisonous matter discharged into it from the 
iron works, and the lawless practices of the forge- 
men, continually diminish the stock of fish. In 
dry seasons these depredators assemble in bands, 
apd, wading into the streams armed with sledge 
