EEMINISCENCES OF THE LEWS. 33 



best loch in the Lews for large sea-trout. All 

 three, however, were difficult of access from 

 Aline, and it was an expedition to reach them ; 

 but still I managed to get sport in them. Now, 

 however, that the Park shooting is taken away 

 from Aline and made into one shooting, and a 

 good lodge built in it, all this fishing is more 

 accessible. 



The grouse shooting we expected not to be 

 very first rate, as the grouse disease was in the 

 island. But I did not expect, nor do I ever 

 remember seeing, so large a space of ground so 

 utterly denuded of game. Grouse, as every 

 one knows, are later the farther north you go. 

 I had shot in Eoss-shire before, and the birds 

 are at least a fortnight later there than in the 

 more southern counties. In the Lews, as a 

 rule, I do not hesitate to say that, though you 

 may shoot grouse at the beginning of Sep- 

 tember, they are a month later than the 

 mainland birds, and should not be shot before 

 the middle of September. 



I never, probably, shall forget my essay at 

 grouse shooting in the Lews. I shot from 

 Aline to Balallan Bridge (seven miles) with 

 good dogs, and during my progress killed 

 three birds (all I saw), and those three scarce 

 fit to pick up. E. M. and I shot another 



D 



