REMINISCENCES OF THE LEWS. 19 



Island of Lewis, and his bag-nets had effec- 

 tually done their work — so eflFectually that, at 

 the expiration of that season, he begged to be 

 allowed to give up his lease, as he had fished 

 out the island, and would be a heavy loser if 

 held to it. This resignation the proprietor 

 wisely and generously accepted ; but, as far as 

 salmon were concerned, the mischief was done. 

 I do not think that, during the month we were 

 at Callernish, we killed above three or four 

 grilse. The Blackwater, about two miles ofi*, 

 attached to the Soval shooting, we never tried, 

 as it was very low; and Hogarth's fishermen — 

 and no men knew better — assured us there 

 was little use, for they thought there was not a 

 single fish in the river. However, more here- 

 after about the Blackwater, as it passed into 

 my possession when I took Soval. 



The fishing in the Grimesta lochs is of course 

 mostly done in boats, which to many is a great 

 drawback, the generality of anglers preferring 

 river fishing from the banks to loch fishing 

 in a boat. No doubt, the endless varieties of a 

 river are most captivating. You may, if you 

 like, fish a loch from the shore ; but I do not 

 like it. Fish generally lie in a loch along the 

 shore on which the wind blows ; at least, sea- 

 trout certainly do, and grilse, and very often, 



c 2 



