THE GALA — FACTORY POLLUTIONS. 131 



the Gala for fishing purposes may be said to end at 

 Torwoodlee. At Gala-foot, in the Tweed, it is tri- 

 umphantly asserted by the mill-owners and the Border 

 Advertiser^ that there is a very superior roe-cast, which 

 merely proves that when the river is flooded the fresh 

 water from the hills is sufficient to dilute the chemicals 

 from the mills. We have not yet heard that trout are 

 very fond of muriatic acid, and we conceive it to be 

 highly desirable, not only for the sake of anglers, but 

 for the sake of the community at large, that every 

 precaution should be taken to prevent the pollutions 

 of factories from mingling with the pure streams of 

 the border. At Hawick, numerous efforts have been 

 made to prevent the defilements, by running the dyes 

 and other chemical preparations used into pits, where 

 they stand until the poisonous stuffs precipitate ; but 

 the manufacturers grumble loudly, and try to evade 

 what they ought to be forced to do, at whatever cost 

 of trouble or money. We are not aware that as yet 

 any similar efforts have been made at Galashiels. At 

 that town there is a cauld so high as to prevent sal- 

 mon from ascending the stream to spawn ; and so the 

 angler in this river may fish the year round without 

 fear of killing forbidden fish. 



The vale of Gala is not very picturesque, nor is it 

 very fruitful in song or tradition. Burns has celebrated 

 its " braw braw lads." It was anciently denominated 

 Wedale — the Vale of Wo — for what reason is not 

 exactly clear, but probably on account of some deadly 

 battle which left the sound of lamentation and weeping 

 on the banks of the Gala. The vale was formerly 

 church property, and a chapel stood near Stow. Tor- 



