SMALL HIGHLAND STREAMS 99 



partially reclaimed peat moss which fills the valley 

 opposite Crinan Bay, into which it ultimately dis- 

 charges its waters close to the western outlet of the 

 Crinan Canal. The lower part of the river winds 

 round and round through the soft soil, the curves 

 being so sharp that a straight line of about a quarter 

 of a mile in length would cross the river three times. 

 The stream has cut itself a deep channel through the 

 peat, and the banks are high above the water, protect- 

 ing it from the wind, which, as the current is naturally 

 sluggish, is very necessary for successful fishing, except 

 immediately after a heavy flood. The river, like all 

 small West Highland streams, rises and falls with ex- 

 treme rapidity, and the upper part of the water is only 

 really in order for one day after a flood, and the lower 

 for two — the first day being usually the best. By this 

 I do not mean to imply that fishing is useless except 

 for these short periods. The lower pools are deep, and 

 there is always a prospect of getting a fair basket of 

 sea-trout, and an off-chance of a salmon or two as 

 well if there is a fairly strong breeze. The run of fish 

 does not begin until nearly the end of July, and the 

 rod fishing continues until the end of October. 

 Except in one or two places where there are small fir 

 plantations on one side of the river, there is hardly a 

 yard where the banks are not perfectly clear, and the 



