DUBIOUS DODGES 223 



saying a word to any one, plunged at once into 

 the Tweed with his clothes on, dived down to the 

 fish, and brought him into the boat with his hands. 

 " A Highlander can never pass a seal, a deer, or a 

 salmon, without having a trial of skill with him." 



To take a fish whose tail alone is seen projecting 

 from the hiding place, provide yourself with a small 

 steel harpoon, the barbs of which shut into the 

 shaft when the point enters and makes the wound, 

 but which spread laterally when you pull it back ; 

 tie a line of small whip-cord to this weapon, and fix 

 the butt of the harpoon itself in the point of a rude 

 rod made for the purpose. You may then push it 

 into the tail of the fish, when the little spear will 

 come from the rod ; and you may pull out your 

 salmon with the line attached to it. 



There are some very large stones in the Tweed, 

 sometimes two or three lying together, under which 

 salmon can totally conceal themselves ; but you 

 will easily discover if there are any underneath 

 them by the air-bubbles which they cast up to the 

 surface of the water when you poke with your 

 leister shaft. My method of taking these fish was 

 to throw a casting net over the stone or stones that 

 concealed them, and then to poke them out with 

 the pole of the leister. The net should be strong, 

 or they will swim clean through it, as if it were a 

 cobweb ; in throwing the net, you must cast above 

 the hiding stone, allowing for the current, which 

 will take it down some little distance before it sinks 

 to the bottom, according to the depth and strength 

 of the water. Of course this method may also 

 apply to fish partially concealed. 



