THE TWEED BIGG AR- WATER. 55 



have gone some distance. It is so with the Tweed 

 itself, as regards salmon ; for there are seldom, except 

 after long droughts, fish lying in the river within 

 several miles of the sea. The burn-angler, therefore, 

 would do well not to be discouraged if he should meet 

 with but little success at first, even in likely pools ; 

 and he might generally with safety miss the first few 

 hundred yards altogether. 



The last day of his week has now come, and the 

 angler must be up betimes, for we propose that he 

 shall return to Edinburgh by way of Peebles, and that 

 ancient town is eleven miles off, with some tempting 

 water between. In summer-time, the angler cannot 

 be too soon at his sport, and if he is fishing down the 

 water, probably the first two or three hours of the 

 morning with the minnow will be the most productive 

 of the whole day. The course of the Tweed is no 

 longer through a vale between ranges of steep green 

 hills, but it now makes its way through a more level 

 country, and here and there its banks are wooded and 

 picturesque. It is still a most satisfactory stream to 

 fish ; the trout are plentiful, and easily reached. 



" There's no a hole aboon the Crook, 



Nor stane or gentle swirl aneath, 

 Nor drumlie rill nor faery brook, 



That daunders through the flowery heath, 

 But ye may fin' a subtle trout, 



A' gleaming ower wi' starn and bead, 

 And mony a sawmou sooms aboot, 



Below the bields o' bonnie Tweed." 



We are not yet, however, in the region of the sal- 

 mon. Though the streams swarm with foul fish in the 

 spawning season, it is probably some years since a 



