186 AUTUMN ANGLING 



when in the river, were sure to lodge. The upper 

 stretch was, however, to many, the more tempting 

 half; for, in addition to the romantic scenery, each 

 good pool or stream teemed with keen and lively 

 grilse. 



Garth House was about six miles from the 

 nearest upper salmon pool of the beat. The re- 

 maining ones, at longer or shorter distances from 

 each other, extended some miles higher. After 

 them, a stretch of very moderate water ended in 

 the fine grilse casts above Meggerny Bridge. 



When the days were long and fine, the walk 

 along the Lyon's banks and braes was wonderfully 

 pleasant, but towards the " hint o' hairst," as the 

 weather began to break and the light early to fail, a 

 small spring-cart and pony, hired from the "general 

 merchant," added much to the comfort, and, by 

 saving time, even to the success of a salmon day. 



Tommy, the pony, a fat strawberry dumple, and 

 his driver, a stout lad of fourteen, had a perfect 

 sympathy with each other's feelings and failings. 

 Both were squat, good-tempered, selfish, shrewd in 

 economising trouble, and pre-eminently lazy. To 

 do Danie justice, he was a sagacious monkey, his 



