84 THE BOEDER ANGLER. 



liis independent and original character, under all cir- 

 cumstances. It is related that the late Earl of Home, 

 probably the best salmon-fisher of his day, was on one 

 occasion angling from Eob's boat on the upper part of 

 the Makers ton -water; and, as the day was favourable, 

 lie hooked and landed several fish in succession. As 

 each salmon was knocked on the head, his lordship re- 

 freshed himself from his flask with much self-gratula- 

 tion, and returned it to his pocket without offering it 

 to the venerable fisherman. Rob gloomily bore this 

 unwonted treatment for some time, but at last, seeing 

 no prospect of amendment, he deliberately pulled the 

 boat to the shore, put up the oars, padlocked it, and 

 walked off in the direction of his hut. The Earl, 

 amazed, called to him to come back, as his day's sport 

 was not nearly over; but Rob replied — "Na, na; them 

 that drink by themser can fish by themsel," and left 

 the peer to digest his mortification as best he might, 

 Rob died — leaving a large family of fishermen behind 

 him — about eight or nine years ago ; and Makerstoun- 

 water, than which there are few better in the Tweed, 

 is now let to the Duke of Buccleuch and his brother, 

 Lord John Scott. Of course, salmon-fishing in it is 

 accessible only to the friends of the bold Biiccleuch. 

 In Rob's time, there was no restriction upon trout- 

 fishing ; but, in imitation of the Duke of Roxburghe's 

 practice, gamekeepers are now constantly on the watch 

 to turn off any one who may venture to intrude. 



Floors- water is next in succession, and is held en- 

 tirely in his own hands by the Duke of Roxburghe, 

 who owns the south side of Makerstoun -water also, and 

 thence on that side downwards to Carham, a stretch 



