SCOTLAND. 147 



tion, the common people speak of its having been brought by the 

 Jameses from Vendois, in JFrance." 



Speaking generally, there cannot be a more agreeable angling 

 tour than along the banks of the Nith and its feeders. There are 

 all kinds of water, and all kinds of scenery. The fishing, on the 

 whole, is excellent. The flies in ordinary use here, are just of the 

 ordinary kind; nor does there seem to be any very special 

 favourites. Trolling is practised to some extent with the natural 

 minnow, and with considerable success. To those sportsmen who 

 like a day or two's bottom -fishing now and then, there is ample 

 room for indulging their fancy. Places of refreshment are to be 

 met with here and there; but in wandering along the higher 

 waters of the Nith, these become both less frequent and of a 

 meaner kind. 



When the angler is at Dumfries, there is an extensive and 

 somewhat wild district of fishable grounds lying to the west, and 

 which goes under the general name of Gallowayshire. There is 

 a number of small, but interesting streams issuing out of these 

 mountain passes, which are full of small trout, witlf a fair sprink- 

 ling of salmon. All these running waters eimrty themselves into 

 the Solway Firth, and have a range of from fifteen to twenty-five 

 miles from the sea. There are no railways in this direction ; but 

 there is a mail coach which travels from Dumfries to Port Patrick 

 by the sea-side route a distance of about one hundred miles. 

 Tliis the tourist can avail himself of if he chooses. But the best 

 method of angling these Gallowayshire waters, is by traversing the 

 country on foot, going from river to river, and from loch to loch. 

 The country is then seen in all its wild freshness and sublimity ; 

 and unfrequented waters are met with, where the angling proves 

 very successful, and redolent of genuine sport. The chief rivers 

 in this part of Scotland are the Urr, which rises in Kirkcudbright- 

 shire, the Dee, the Cree, the Minnick, the Fleet, and the Stinchar. 

 These are all prolific streams, and they have each tributary waters, 

 enjoying as great an angling repute as themselves. 



The loch-fishing in this vicinity is likewise good. The lochs o- 

 Gmnnoch, Darnal, Glento, and Roan, contain large trout and pike ; 

 ;md so likewise do Loch Brack, and Barscole, Honie, and Skae. 



When the rod-fisher has finished his Galloway ramble, if he turn 

 the corner of the Peninsula, and direct his steps north towards 

 Glasgow, he will find several rivers of some note in his route. 

 The first is the Girvan, which springs partly out of a loch called 

 Spalander, in which there are very large trout. The banks of the 

 Girvan have been long celebrated for their singular beauty. Burns 

 sings of "Girvan's iairy-haunted stream." There is good fly- 

 fishing in it. The Doon and its feeders enjoy a high repute for 

 sport. All these waters, and the localities adjoining them, have 

 been rendered famous by the genius of Robert Burns. The lochs 

 in this neighbourhood are full of trout, pike, perch, dace, chub, 

 and the like. 



