48 ANGLING REMINISCENCES. 



as if it hadna sense or motion, till we stirred it up wi' 

 a ring o' hard aim, and doon again it darted, amaist on 

 the tap o' the water, its braid tail stickin' oot ahint, 

 an' noo and then giein' a sair and wrathfu' wallop ! 

 There's the very spot whare we landed the cratur ; 

 an' no easy wark, as ye ken, it was ; for I had lost the 

 handle o' my gaff, and couldna get Jock Anison to 

 strike the huik intil it, as he micht hae dune. We 

 made a famous catch o't that day, forbye what the twa 

 grilses fetched Sax-and-twenty shillings, hard money, 

 atween the pair o' us ! But what gran' callants are 

 these haudin' up in this direction ? I wish they 

 mayna spoil our water amang them. 



2d Poacher. The dell's in the chaps, wi' their 

 strings o' craw-feathers, and ither sic nonsense ' 

 They're gane clean witless. Hollo you ! what gars 

 ye hinder ither folk's sport in siccan a fashion ? Is 

 this like respectable gentry, to gang direct up to the 

 very front o' twa honest men, an' commence fricht- 

 ening the fish frae their presence ? Awa wi' ye, 

 gin ye be wise, an' dinna brak the temper o' Wat 

 Waddell. 



Enter LEISTER, OTTER, MAY-FLY, SWIVELTOP, HACKLE, and GAFF, 

 on either side of the river. 



Swivel. Fish rise well, gentlemen crow's feather 

 capital ! Strike, Tim ! What a huge fellow ! a 

 sturgeon ! Ha ! you missed him ; never mind. 

 There again a mere minnikin. Shake him off, 



