WHITEADDER AND LAUDERDALE 



one — as to why there should be any trout left in its 

 waters, or at any rate in those major portions of them 

 which are open to the public on payment, in this 

 case, to be precise, of half-a-crown per annum. To be 

 literal, for there are two associations, you can fish 

 about two-thirds of the Leader and all the burns, one 

 or two of which yield on their day fat baskets, for five 

 shillings a year ! This modest contribution, by pro- 

 viding watchers, practically ensures the river against 

 the insidious wiles of the miners from Lanarkshire 

 and Midlothian, concerning whom the fishermen of 

 the Whiteadder, who are not thus protected, cherish 

 grave suspicions. 



But the Leader, winsome and delightful stream that 

 it is, is much shorter than the other. Nor, like the 

 Whiteadder, does it wander for miles in the wilderness 

 comparatively aloof from the haunts of men. It 

 comes into being quite suddenly where several burns 

 break out of the Lammermuirs at the foot of the 

 Soutra pass, and this is actually the head of Lauder- 

 dale. One of the great main roads from the south 

 to Edinburgh follows the river from its junction with 

 the Tweed near Melrose to its head, and then climbing 

 by zigzags the above-named formidable pass crosses 

 this narrow western bit of the Lammermuirs, and 

 there, confronted by a most noble prospect, drops 

 quickly down into Midlothian. Thousands of motors 

 now annually thread this beautiful and peaceful vale, 

 with its wide, level pastures and spacious homesteads. 

 The swelling flanks of the Lammermuirs roll from 

 height to height upon either side, and through the 

 green levels the crystal waters of the Leader sparkle 

 2 A 369 



