104 THE BORDER ANGLER. 



as watchers, on the old principle of detection, it might 

 soon be got under control.* To their credit, the Scotch 



* A highly efficient means of protection is indicated in the 

 following newspaper paragraphs, which appeared in the be- 

 ginning of August 1858 : 



" ANGLERS' PROTECTION ASSOCIATIONS. We are glad to ob- 

 serve that some of these associations are beginning to take 

 steps towards securing the rivers and streams against netting by 

 poachers. By the efforts of the Denholm Angling Association 

 the greater part of the river Teviot, from Hawick to near 

 Ancrum, has been " staked," and in the deep pools boxes made 

 of rough slabs filled with stones have been sunk, which effec- 

 tually protect both trouts and salmon against the nets of the 

 poachers. We understand that several gentlemen resident on 

 the Tweed have adopted the same precaution. The Duke of 

 Buccleuch has caused large portions of the Ettrick and Yarrow 

 to be " staked," and Mr Broad wood, of the Pavilion, and Admiral 

 Cator, of Dryburgh, have caused their respective waters to be 

 similarly secured against the nets of the midnight depredators. 

 Excellent sport might be obtained in salmon-fishing in the upper 

 districts of the Tweed during the autumn months, besides bet- 

 ter trout-fishing all the year, were the anglers in other districts 

 to follow the example of their brethren of the Teviot, which we 

 heartily recommend for their adoption." Scotsman. 



" These remarks are nowhere more applicable than to the Tweed 

 in this neighbourhood at the present moment. We have com- 

 plained, threatened, and expostulated about the trout-netting 

 every year carried on in the Gala, the Caddon, and other smaller 

 streams. But the trout-netting has now risen to a height which 

 we scarcely expected, in a systematic mode of plundering the 

 Tweed, the deep pools and rough streams of which have been 

 hitherto deemed safe from such a mode of spoliation. We are 

 informed that the net used is a very large and deadly one, 

 with three meshes, known to professionals as the "Dolting" net. 

 The hauls of river and sea-trout which we have heard of as 

 being taken on some nights are so immense, that we would 

 scarcely be credited were we to give weights or figures. We trust 

 the reports t*hat are in circulation are somewhat exaggerated, but 

 the proprietors, as well as the angling public, should be on their 

 guard against allowing such a wholesale system of capture to 

 be introduced into the Tweed, the very first effect of which will 

 be to render our noble and beautiful river as barren as the Gala. 

 The next step undoubtedly would be to shut up its trouting pri- 

 vileges, for which the public has fought so stout a battle," 

 Border Advertiser. 



