92 SALMONIA. 



by a stronger tail, and force of arms ; but I 

 will try my eloquence upon him. " Sir, we 

 hope you will excuse us for fishing in this 

 pool, where it seems you were going to take 

 your cast; but the Laird has desired us to 

 stand in his shoes for a few days, and has 

 given up angling while we are here; and as 

 we come nearly a thousand miles for this 

 amusement, we are sure you are too much 

 of a gentleman to spoil our sport; and we 

 will take care to supply your fish kettle 

 while we are here morning and evening, and 

 we shall send you, as we hope, a salmon 

 before night." 



Poiet. — He grumbles good sport to us, 

 and is off with his tail: you have hit him 

 in the right place. He is I am sure a pot 

 fisher, and somewhat hungry, and provided 

 he gets the salmon does not care who 

 catches him! 



Hal. — You are severe on the Highland 

 gentleman, and I think extremely unjust. 

 Nothing could be more ready than his as- 

 sent, and a keen fisherman must not be 

 expected to be in the best possible humour 



