TOlliam Scropc 441 



he was going, that was certain ; see, he is there already ! 

 But I back out again on dry land, nothing loth, and have 

 a fair race with him. Sore work it is. I am a pretty 

 fair runner, as has often been testified ; but his velocity 

 is surprising. On, on, still on he goes, ploughing up 

 the water like a steamer. * Away with you, Charlie ! 

 Quick, quick, man quick for your life ! Loosen the 

 boat at the Cauld Pool, where we shall soon be.' And 

 so indeed we were, when I jumped into the said craft, 

 still having good hold of my fish. 



The Tweed is here broad and deep, and the salmon 

 had at length become somewhat exhausted ; he still kept 

 in the strength of the stream, however, with his nose 

 seawards, and hung heavily. At last he comes near the 

 surface of the water. See how he shakes his tail and 

 digs downwards, seeking the deep profound that he will 

 never gain. His motions become more short and 

 feeble ; he is evidently doomed, and his race well nigh 

 finished. Drawn into the bare water, and not approving 

 of the extended cleik, he makes another swift rush, and 

 repeats this effort each time that he is towed to the 

 shallows. At length he is cleiked in earnest, and hauled 

 to shore : he proves one of the grey scull, newly run, and 

 weighs somewhat above twenty pounds. The hook is 

 not in his mouth, but in the outside of it ; in which case 

 a fish being able to respire freely, always shows 

 extraordinary vigour, and generally sets his head down 

 the stream. 



During the whole period of my experience in fishing, 

 though I have had some sharp encounters, yet I never 

 knew any sport equal to this. I am out of breath even 



