94 SALMON FISHING IN THE TWEED 



tilbury. Our skill might reasonably be questioned 

 — our perseverance could not ; for before midnight 

 we rallied, and urged our reluctant beasts to the 

 dulness of Stilton. From henceforth everything 

 went on smoothly with them ; except that the 

 chestnut died of the distemper, and the grey fell 

 out of a crazy boat into Loch Lomond, ran away 

 some time afterwards, overturned the vehicle, broke 

 my unfortunate servant's leg, and lamed himself for 

 life. 



We journeyed on to Selkirk in juvenile mood. 

 From hence my friends went to Edinburgh, where 

 I agreed to join them. And now comes the point 

 — what made me, Harry Otter, a fisher for salmon ? 

 Why thus it was : I went forth, after my arrival at 

 the aforesaid town, at the hour of prime. I asked 

 no questions, for I cannot endure to hear before- 

 hand what sort of sport I am likely to have. Sober 

 truth is sometimes exceedingly distressing, and 

 brings one's mind to a lull ; it puts an end to the 

 sublimity of extravagant speculation, which I hold 

 to be the chief duty of a sportsman. So, as I said, 

 I asked no questions ; but I saw the river Ettrick 

 before me taking her free course beneath the misty 

 hills, and, brushing away the dew-drops with my 

 steps, I rushed impatiently through the broom 

 and gorse with torn hose and smarting legs, till I 

 arrived at the margin of that wild river, where the 

 birch hung its ringlets over the waters. 



Out came my trusty rod from a case of " filthy 

 dowlass." Top varnished it was, and the work of 

 the famous Higginbotham : not he the hero of an 

 hundred engines, " who was afeard of nothing, and 



