62 THE BORDER ANGLER. 



which he can exercise his dexterity in casting with a 

 final result of " half a brace of trout." 



The Leithen is just between a " water' 7 and a burn, 

 contains lots of trout, and great quantities may be 

 taken in it, as well as in the burns and rills which feed 

 it, after a flood. The Quair, which makes its way to 

 the Tweed on the other side, through the fine woods in 

 which Traquair House, the seat of the Earl of Tra- 

 quair, is embosomed, is, we believe, partly preserved ; 

 but the upper parts of this pretty streamlet, as well as 

 its feeders, are open, and offer a pleasing variety to 

 Piscator after he has had his morning draught at the 

 Spa. Up the Quair there is a road to the vale of 

 Yarrow, accessible to vehicles, and a pleasanter drive 

 than from Innerleithen to St Mary's Loch, first through 

 fine woods and then through the pastoral treeless 

 "forest," could not well be desired. The "bush aboon 

 Traquair," which, like " the broom o' the Cowden- 

 knowes" and Polwarth green, is a landmark in border 

 song, is pointed out as represented by some birch trees 

 on a little eminence overlooking the valley above Tra- 

 quair House. We are told his Lordship carefully pre- 

 serves these interesting relics. Lord Traquair, who is 

 a very old man, has, for some reason or other, been 

 greatly opposed to the protection of the Tweed ; so 

 much so, that the bailiffs were not allowed to be lodged 

 in any house on his property. As he is the proprietor 

 of Innerleithen, and of the adjoining parts of the 

 river, which has since the erection of woollen factories 

 at that place been daringly poached, this was a matter 

 of great inconvenience until the bailiffs got an iron 

 house made, which they have erected, we believe, at 



