REMINISCENCES OF THE LEWS. 109 



but dabs of fish, and the average of weight was 

 small ; but after they had been working for 

 some years, the average very much rose, and 

 they increased not only in quantity but in 

 weight. Just as the river became a good one, 

 however, it was severed from the shooting — a 

 great mistake, in my opinion, for it very much 

 added to the charm of Soval; and I think 

 that eventually the wisdom of reuniting the 

 two will be seen. 



The other river in the Soval shooting was 

 the Laxay, or Lakassay. It was about three 

 miles and a half from Soval Lodge, and ran a 

 course of some five miles, from Loch Trialaval 

 to Loch Valtos. It was a shallow river, with 

 not above three or four pools in it, and those 

 very sheltered ; and, except on odd days, the 

 fish were sulky. Loch Valtos was a nice loch, 

 and very good for sea-trout. There was, then, 

 a mile more river from Valtos to the sea, or 

 rather tideway, with two or three good casts 

 for salmon ; but they generally held sulky fish. 

 At the time I first went to Soval salmon did 

 not abound in the Laxay, and no wonder, for 

 it was close fished with net and cable, and also 

 foul-fished — a net being sunk across the mouth 

 of the river, and kept there, so that it was all 

 but impossible for fish to get up. It had also 



