1 88 ANGLERS' EVENINGS. 



of Carsphairn ; and running in this divided condition for 

 some considerable distance, the three streamlets unite 

 about three miles to the north-west of the village of 

 Carsphairn, whence the river flows in a south-easterly 

 direction through fine moorland and hill for nine miles, and 

 then joins the Ken. This river receives a number of small 

 tributaries in its course, and with the exception of a few 

 grand, deep, rock-bound, and shingly pools, runs the 

 whole way over a thin, wide-spread, and rough, rolling, 

 boulder-bed. The burn-trout, which are very plentiful 

 both in the upper and lower reaches, generally run 

 from three to eight ounces in weight, but are not 

 unfrequently caught as heavy as one, two, and even 

 three pounds each. Salmon and salmon-trout have 

 access only to the lower reach. The fishing over the 

 whole length of this river is free, except on the estates of 

 Knockgray and Glenhoul. There is an exceedingly wild 

 and grand waterfall of forty feet a little over two miles 

 to the south of the village of Carsphairn, which is called 

 the " Tinkler's Loup." Tradition says, that in former 

 days, a stalwart travelling tinker visited a farmhouse 

 just on the eve of supper-time. Having travelled 

 a great distance, and being very hungry, he asked 

 the farmer's wife for some of the porridge that stood 

 in some half score of dishes on the kitchen table. 

 The gudewife replied that there was none to spare, as the 

 lassie had only made enough for the ploughman and 

 shepherd's supper, and that there was no more time to 

 make any more before the men came in. On hearing 

 this, the tinker unceremoniously proceeded to hclj^ 



