ST. BOS WELLS. 217 



fish with. I remember this individual fish well, the more 

 by token that it was a Saturday night when I caught it, 

 and knowing that a two-pound Tweed trout in good 

 condition makes an excellent repast, 1 looked forward 

 hopefully to the morrow. But, alas ! my landlady, 

 whatever else she was, was no cook ; and she brought in 

 the fish to breakfast so much widerdone, that after one or 

 two mouthfuls I gave it up in disgust. Talking of the 

 cooking of fish reminds one of good old Izaak and his 

 quaint and appetite-provoking recipes. I think also of 

 former fishing days spent upon the Aberdeenshire Don, 

 famous for its yellow trout. There, I had the advantage 

 of a landlady, who, as far as trout were concerned, might 

 have been cook to a prince. I remember well her 

 smoking dishes of beautifully-done trout and whitling. 

 Her method was to split the fish down the back : hence 

 in the case of large fish there was every chance that they 

 got well cooked. 



My recollections of fishing days at St. Boswells are 

 very pleasantly associated with a most remarkable angler, 

 resident in the village — William Rankin by name. This 

 man was born and brought up there, and travelled about 

 a good deal in early life. Upwards of thirty years ago, while 

 in London, he lost his sight through small pox, and after 

 that sad misfortune he returned to his native spot, where 

 he still lives. Naturally shrewd and intelligent on all 

 ordinary topics, he is quite an authority on angling and its 

 accessories ; for, notwithstanding his blindness, he is one 

 of the most successful fishers on the Tweed. He can 

 make all kinds of tackle, and fish with fly or bait equally 



