16 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



arose as to the benefit of erecting a suitable pass in the Leader- 

 foot cauld. The view upstream from Newstead, with its now 

 famous Roman Camp, is typical of Tweed. The fishings go 

 with Pavillion and Drygrange, both beautiful waters. The 

 best season at Drygrange was 1908, when Mr. Roberts scored 

 112 fish. 



The Tweed now takes a series of quick bends. Between 

 Gladswood and Bemerside it turns back in a south-westerly 

 direction, then getting a little to the east of south it passes 

 Dryburgh Abbey, embowered in its trees, where in September 

 1832 Sir Walter Scott was buried. Then a great S-shaped 

 bend, and the river reaches the beautiful stretch at Mertoun. 

 It then flows steadily in an easterly direction, but gradually 

 trends slightly northwards. 



The nine upper pools of Mertpun have the right of fishing 

 on each bank. Below this, Mertoun continues on the left 

 bank, the Maxton Water being opposite, and then again 

 Mertoun fishes seven remaining pools from both banks. There 

 are twenty-two pools in all. In forty-three days' fishing in 

 the autumn of 1908, from reports in The Field, it appears that 

 the middle stretch of Mertoun produced 116 salmon and 10 

 grilse. 



Rutherford Water then comes in with two miles and a half 

 of both banks. In the appendices to Part III. Section 2 of the 

 report of Lord Elgin's Commission a return is given for Ruther- 

 ford Water between 1887 and 1900. The average take for the 

 fourteen years is 97 ; the range of variation being from 32 

 to 191 fish. 



At Makerston, next below, the channel narrows somewhat, 

 has a rocky bed, and the current becomes much more rapid. 

 This is practically the only part of the Tweed which is rough 

 and broken in character. Soon again the river assumes 

 its more usual features and sweeps past stately Floors 

 Castle, the seat of the Duke of Roxburghe, to the weir at 

 Kelso. 



Out of Makerston Water, in 1873, a single rod is reported to 

 have killed in one week the exceptional number, of 73 

 fish. This is, I think, the second best week's score in the 

 river. It is very remarkable in certain seasons, with a good 

 stock of fish in the water, how many big scores may occur in a 



