DEFENCE OF UP-STREAM ANGLING 23 



therefore rank highest as " sport/' ' So says 

 Stewart, and he is rigid ! 



WHEN SHALL WE GO A-FISHING? 



i 



No bumble-bees are humming, 

 No willow catkins coming, 



And the river's high and banked by cauld snaw-bree. 

 There 's nae liltin' o' the thrushes, 

 There 's nae cooin' o' the cushies, 

 And nae wadin' i' the watter tull the knee. 



ii 



For it's cauld, cauld, cauld upon the lea ; 

 There 's nae growth atween the upland and the sea, 

 For there 's snaw ahint the dykes, 

 There J s a seugh amang the sykes, 

 And it's jist aboot as cauld as it can be. 



in 



Will we then gang a-fishin', 

 Whan the winter snaws are rinnin', 

 And the troots are lang and lank as they can be ? 

 Na ! we will gang a-fishin' 

 When the poplar-trees are blushin', 

 And the bumble-bee is hunimin' ower the lea. 



IV 



For we prefer troot-fishin' 



Whan the troots are in condition, 



And we 're wadin' i' the watter tull the knee ; 



For it is o' nae avail 



Tull gang fushin' wi' a flail 



As weel gang for sillocks l in the sea ! 



1 Podlies. 



