Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-06-21
BRITISH P0ACHERS.
How They Ply Their Avocation
in Forest and Stream.
A BRITIsHER A BORN SPORT.
If He Can't Afford to Lease or Own
Grounds of His Own He Lives on Of
Those Who Carlow the Pro-
fessional Works.

Special Correspondence Of the Gazette.
CARLISLE, Enc, June S.-My first intro
duction to a British poacher was in the
ancient city of Galway on a summer morn
ing in 1888. wandered out of Ellie Ma6i-
gan's quaint little inn before sunrise, and
after few moments on the quay among the
fishwives of .Claddagh, had started for a
stroll out Oughterard way. As was cross
ing Queens bridge my attention was at
tracted by hundreds upon hundreds of sal
mon in the shallow waters of the Corrib
beneath. They lay, punched in groups Of
scores and more, in little pockety pools of
the greatest depth, their noses pointing up
stream, but all the shoals apparently as
motionless as the rocky bed of the river
beneath them. 1t was early for Galway,
save at the Claddagh-side, as the sleepy
old town is hardly astir before O'Clock.
But had stood there scarcely minute
when man IN corduroy high-lows, jockey
cap and visor and bearing huge club in
his hand, approached me from the city side.
He gave me sharp look of scrutiny,
touched his hat apologetically, and
bridge and scrambled along the opposite
shore, looking closely here and there IN old
corners and shadowy hooks along the bank.
Finally he disappeared in the vicinity of
the Salmon Leap of the Corrib above. He
was one of the Royal Fishery Board water
bailiffs, and was in quest Of salmon poach-
ers.
He was hardly out of sight before bare
footed man followed upon the bridge. He
in turn scrutiniZed me closely and passed.
A moment later the mans arm slid along
the waist-high stone coping Of the bridge.
Then there was gentle splash in the
water below. The man kept straight on,
increasing the speed of his walk. Directly
1 saw his arm jerked back, as if by a sud
4 1,,iI cs.9
coping. Then he seemed to exert very
great strength, while there was some little
commotion in the stream beneath. But the
man kept straight along, his arm now in
position as If dragging half -Roating bur-
den. When near the end Of the bridge he
turned, put his elbows upon the coping in
an attitude of contemplation, and waited
of the bridge end, and turned towards the
bay. Without seeming to watch him, I
soon saw him reappear near an old fulling
mill several rods below. With him there
was now a mangy-headed lad who was hast
lily unrolling the bottoms Of his trousers
with one hand, while carrying his Jacket in
a singularly heavy and baggy way with the
other. The barc-footed man had within
three minutes time captured two huge
salmon with murderous 'sdrag-hook''
armed with six huge hooks; and the
lad with the pouchy jacket who
had rejoined him was in waiting
beneath the bridge-end to care for fish,
hooks and line. In fifteen minutes more
the two salmon were dressed and in the
cheering skihs" Of the fishwiyes, being
hawked about the city; and the Corrib
poacher had secured eight shillings for his
deft mornings work. The entire procedure
was so amazingly audacious and clever, that
on meeting the poacher later in the day l
taxed him with his performance. He knew
I would not betray him. found that he
was Of respectable family, . brother being
a reputable contractor in New York city,
where he had himself held decent wage
position; but he confessed that poaching
and poverty were more fascinating In Gal
way than
CONTRACTS AND A CAREEB N AMERICA.
My next experience was while guest
during pheasant-shoot on the demesne
Of young nobleman in one Of the English |
Midland counties. Sometimes during the
days murderous onslaught up0nDthe birds,
had lost diminutive, but to me valuable, |
note book 1t 80 worried NE that arose l
the next morning dressed and stole down |
into and out Of the castle yard through the |
huge open gate facing the side 1
next the demesne, before soul |
was astir about the entire place The
aemesne, which covered fully two miles |
square Of s'park''-tiny lakes, magnificent |
carriage and drive-wsys, dense patches Of
Young ar interpreting huge beech trees
Ind cak-was altogether one OF the finest L
pheasant preserves In England. felt sure /