142 THE BORDER ANGLER. 



of Dryden, of Hawick, who rival James as anglers, 

 but not in the department of fly-fishing ; we believe, 

 indeed, that the latter hardly practises any other mode. 

 Casting up-stream with carefully " waled " gut, and 

 flies dressed lightly upon the hook, James Baillie is 

 unsurpassed. 



At Blainslee Bridge, the freedom of fishing is again 

 interfered with. The water skirting the estate of 

 Chappie used to be open, but a new owner has arisen 

 who knows not the sons of Izaak, and who takes after 

 the magnate of the district by preserving. The owner 

 on the other side is said to be a little more liberal. 

 After these comes the Carrolside-water, also strictly 

 preserved. This part of the water is about the best in 

 the whole river, and, as we have hinted before, the only 

 penalty that can be exacted for fishing in preserves is 

 the amount of damage caused by the trespass. Verb, 

 sap. never make any inquiries about boundaries. A 

 little above the village of Earlston, the restrictions of 

 grasping landowners are relaxed, and there is about 

 a mile of water open. We suspect the villagers pay a 

 good deal of attention to it. Earlston, as we have 

 mentioned, has a 'bus running daily to Melrose. The 

 remaining two miles of the Leader comprise the Cow- 

 denknowes and the Drygrange waters, both of which 

 are gamekeepered. A dam-dyke at Leader-foot pre- 

 vents salmon from ascending the stream.* 



* One day in July 1858, before 5 p. m., when the water was 

 low and clear, Mr. Stewart killed the enormous quantity of 

 55 Ibs. of trout in the Leader between Lauder and Earlston, his 

 lures being worm and minnow, principally the latter. On 

 many occasions during the same season he obtained baskets of 

 30 K>s. and upwards. 



