FLY-FISHER. 97 



reflected with increased depth and brilliancy in 

 the waters below. 



Everything about the lake is in keeping with 

 its wild grandeur of character ; the few trees 

 about the inn and church, where alone there is 

 room for trees to grow, add to, instead of taking 

 from the general wild effect ; the sound of the 

 Church bell, the halloo of the shepherd or the 

 bark of his dog, condensed as it were in the 

 hollow of the mountains, ring with an echoing 

 reverberation along the waters of the lake, and 

 no other sounds, save the lowing of cattle, the 

 bleating of a stray sheep, or the croak of a 

 solitary raven winging his way Jiigh in air above 

 the valley from one range of craggs to the other, 

 disturb the silent solitude of the scene. 



The lake is about a mile long, and not much 

 more than a quarter of a mile broad at its widest 

 part. Its mean depth is from eight to twelve 

 feet, except in one part, towards the middle and 

 upper end, which is very deep. This part has 

 been christened " Saharah," or " the Great 

 Desert," from fish being so rarely taken there ; 

 and old halituees of the lake are apt to indulge 

 in a dry, and not very amiable chuckle, when 

 they see a boat occupied by a couple of " grif- 

 fins" moored in this locality. The water of the 

 lake is beautifully transparent, so that the bottom 



