SKYE TERRIERS LOCH SHIN. 37 



waits patiently till I take hat in hand again ; for once having 

 explored the streets, he seems to take no further interest in 

 the place. 



There is no end or limit to the quaint conceits of some 

 terriers of this kind, when they live in constant intercourse 

 witli their masters. Fred's great attachment to my children, 

 too, makes him a universal favourite in the house, and he 

 walks about with them amongst their pet animals, apparently 

 taking as much interest in thurn as the children do them- 

 selves. I must say, however, that he requires a formal 

 introduction to any new living acquisition of this kind ; but 

 once introduced to them, they are safe from his strong white 

 teeth for ever. 



These terriers are excellent swimmers, and are apparently 

 as much at their ease in the water as on land. Fred is as 

 web-footed as an otter. Some dogs dislike accompanying 

 one to the river side only to look on. Indeed, one retriever 

 which I had became so bored and e.nnuye with this work, 

 that at last I had only to show him my fishing rod to induce 

 him immediately to retire to some hiding-place rather than 

 be asked to accompany me. Another retriever, on the 

 contrary, always took the most lively interest in my fishing, 

 watching the fly and getting into a state of great excitement 

 whenever I hooked a fish : indeed, if allowed to do so, he 

 would go in and land the fish, taking it carefully and 

 delicately by the back in his teeth ; but as he often got 

 entangled in the line and did mischief, I was obliged to stop 

 this. A great treat, however, to this dog was to put some 

 living sea trout into any shallow pool where he could catch 

 them and bring them one by one to whoever carried the 

 fishing-basket. 



I have no doubt that many wild animals, such as the fox, 

 wild cat, polecat, &c., catch numbers of fish during their 

 nocturnal wanderings. Their tracks about the water's edge 

 have frequently convinced me of this : the fish, too, being 

 apt to take to the shallows at night, are easier caught than 

 in the daytime. 



To return, however, to Sutherlandshire. On the 7th of 

 June I arrived at the good town of Tain, and on the 9th was 

 at Lairg Inn. An excellent place of rest, too, is the inn at 

 Lairg, and the situation beautiful beyond description at any 

 rate it is so on a fine day ; but situated as it is at the end of 

 Loch Shin, a Highland lake about eighteen miles in length, 



