DRYHOPE TOWER — THE YARROW. 121 



into tlie water at the head, Boiirhope lying snugly in 

 a wooded cleugh on the opposite side, and the blue 

 Yarrow itself at the foot, winding through the bare 

 valley. The Free Kirk we have noticed, and a farm- 

 house newly erected at the foot of the loch, are the 

 only modern-looking intruders upon a scene where 

 we fear our readers will think we have already lingered 

 too long. 



Kirkstead-burn, which enters just at the foot of the 

 loch, is full of small trout, and we fancy but little 

 fished. Mr. Stewart informs us that upon one occa- 

 sion he caught twenty-three dozen in it. 



The Yarrow is rather a late water, and fly-fishing 

 in it is somewhat uncertain. The trout, however, are 

 of good size, and it is well adapted for angling with 

 minnow. Many very heavy baskets have been got 

 out of it in the first mile or two from where it flows 

 out of the loch. About two miles downwards it is 

 it is joined by Douglas-burn, which has a high repu- 

 tation as full of small trout, and. in a flood almost any 

 numbers may be taken out of it. The Gordon Arms 

 Inn is situated about a mile below the junction of 

 Douglas-burn, or about seven miles from Tibbie Shiels's 

 and eleven from Selkirk, and is in great measure in- 

 tended for the accommodation of anglers. It is indeed 

 most suitably placed for fishing the middle district of 

 the Yarrow. From the other side enters Altrive-burn, 

 in the little valley of which is situated Altrive farm- 

 house, where James Hogg long sat rent-free under the 

 Duke of Buccleuch — although, even under that ar- 

 rangement, with poetical perversity he found himself 

 hardly able to make both ends meet. The farm of 



