158 NORTHERN MEMOIRS. 



presented an occasion for our angler to travel ; 

 and, as his custom was, after dispatch of busi- 

 ness, he mingled some solitary recreation with 

 his employment So steering his course to the 

 water- side, and viewing the fords, he observes a 

 shole of fish fly to the shallows for sanctuary ; 

 by which he imagined the fry was assaulted; 

 so that presently, near the deeps, he lets his bait 

 drop, which, unexpectedly, was suddenly en- 

 eountred ; and he, like an artist, gave his exa- 

 minant the law of fair play, so destroyed his as- 

 sailant ; and having by this time landed his ad- 

 venture, he presently goes about to discharge 

 his arming, but reaching forth his hand to dis- 

 gorge his captive, he becomes suddenly surpriz'd, 

 because then to find in the late conquered fish, 

 not only one hook, but another also ; which he 

 certainly knew to be his own, that but the day 

 before was forced away from him ; which, after 

 examination, he found it was. Now this fish 

 was observed to have travelled fifteen miles in 

 twenty four hours. For that end I offer this 

 discourse, that the travelling fish never arrives 

 to that maturity of growth, as does the fish that 

 is idle and slothful ; for by how much his mo- 

 tion is in the river, by so much the better and 

 more nutritious is the fish. 



Now that witches inhabit near this Lough of 

 Pitloil, I am of opinion, provided there be any. 



