138 THE BORDER ANGLER. 



and fish up to Carfrae-Mill. About that point the 

 Leader separates into two streams, which are each 

 again similarly divided ; and as they are all about a 

 size, it is difficult to say which is the proper source of 

 the Leader. The fishing in them is good, and the 

 trouts are of excellent quality, sometimes of very good 

 size. 



From Carfrae-Mill for about three miles downwards 

 the Leader is open to the public, and the trouting is 

 excellent. The trout, however, are small, the streams 

 being rapid and thin ; but if the angler does not object 

 to an average of six or seven to the pound, he may find 

 good sport here. A mile above Thirlestane Castle, the 

 seat of the Earl of Lauderdale, his lordship the son, 

 we believe, of the man who was so strong a Jacobin 

 and advocate of equality and fraternity claims pos- 

 session of the river, and strictly preserves it for about 

 two miles down to Lander Bridge. Some of the profane 

 vulgar, however, who have penetrated into his lord- 

 ship's sacred preserves, inform us that the trout, al- 

 though very numerous in this piece of water, are very 

 small, from the fact of there being too many of them 

 for the food that is to be had. A little more fishing 

 would have the effect of increasing their size, and 

 would thus make the sport better. A little below 

 Carfrae, the Wharplaw-burn, a small hill-stream, en- 

 ters the Leader, and in the middle of the Thirlestane 

 preserve Earncleuch- water also comes in. The latter 

 stream is reputed to be also worth angling in. Below 

 Lauder Brig there is a stretch of nearly four miles of 

 water in which the public may enjoy their sport unin- 

 terruptedly, and in the greater part of this the fishing 



