CARRON, ROSS-SHIRE. 143 



and wild as a north-west swirl. He seems as if one 

 shook nettles at his forehead, flinging and floundering 

 without stay or reason. I have captured many that 

 held their death -strife more deliberately. 'Tis in 

 vain, Sir Silverside, that thou art so frolicksome ! I 

 have the lead of thee, friend, so shore-in sideways. 

 Now, Tom, take thy turn o' the pool. 



Otter. Nay, Jack, I will onward or above thee, and 

 may pitch on a stream to my fancy, where the fish 

 are as numerous as they seem hereabouts. 



Leister. I doubt it ; there is no part of the whole 

 water so promising, barring the Cruive pool, which 

 has already been dragged by the fishermen, and of 

 course, besides having been thoroughly disturbed, is 

 pretty well emptied of its contents. No doubt, you 

 may meet with abundance of sea-trout near the mouth 

 of the river, but the salmon and larger fish are chiefly 

 lodged within a hundred yards of us. Set to, Tom, 

 and take the noblest of them in tow. Ha ! you raised 

 a huge fellow, but neglected to strike. Change your 

 fly for a smaller one, and cast higher up. 



Otter. I shall bide by my hook, Jack ; 'tis faultless. 

 There again a different fish 



Leister. And missed him, too ! I would cause my 

 fly to move more rapidly over the surface ; the fel- 

 low rose at it as if suspicious of harm. Send it a 

 sort of galloping pace, and it will smooth down this 

 distrust. Excellent ! he springs after it like a tiger. 

 Line, line, line line and your legs a sixteen 



