CHAP, ii.] LOGAN SEA-FISH POND. 39 



or three bits of artificial rock- work, so constructed as to afford 

 shelter to the fish. There being in those days no railways or 

 other speedy conveyance, there arose a necessity for fish-ponds 

 to persons who were in the habit of entertaining guests or 

 giving great dinner-parties ; hence also the multiplicity of 

 recipes in our older cookery-books for the dressing of all kinds 

 of fresh-water fishes ; besides, in the very ancient times, that 

 is before the Reformation, when Roman Catholicism required 

 a rigorous observance of the various church fasts, a fish-pond 

 near every cathedral city, and in the precincts of every 

 monastery, was a sine qua non. The varieties of fish bred in 

 these ponds were necessarily very limited, being usually carp, 

 some of which, however, grew to a very large size. There are 

 traces also of some of our curious and valuable fishes having 

 been introduced into this country during those old monastic 

 times. Thus it is thought, as has been already stated, that 

 the celebrated trout of Lochleven may have been introduced 

 from foreign parts by some of the ancient monks who had a 

 taste for gastronomy. The celebrated vendace of Lochmaben 

 is likewise supposed to have been introduced in the same way 

 from some continental fishery. 



As I have already shown, most of the fish-ponds of these 

 remote times were quite primitive in their construction very 

 similar, in fact, to the beautiful trout-pond that may any day 

 be seen at Wolfsbrunnen, near Heidelberg. There were no 

 doubt ponds of large extent and of elaborate construction, but 

 these were comparatively rare ; and even on the very sea-coast 

 we used to have ponds or storing-places for sea fish. One of 

 these is still in existence : I allude to Logan Pond in Galloway. 

 This is only used as a place for keeping fish so as to have 

 them attainable for table uses without the family having to 

 depend on the state of the weather. This particular pond is 

 not an artificially-constructed one, but has been improved out 

 of the natural surrounding of the place. It is a basin, formed 



