194 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



to ascend thus far. Although Erchless Castle comes in in the 

 middle of this valley tract and has inviting waters close to its 

 doors, the right of salmon fishing is held by Lord Lovat, a 

 matter which was decided in a somewhat famous case, 1 in 

 which the Chisolm of the day argued prescriptive possession 

 " by rod and spear," in order to validate a general title cum 

 piscationibus, but which plea was rejected. As a result of 

 this decision, the water in the neighbourhood of Erchless 

 Castle is fished from Lord Lovat' s Eskadale House, which 

 stands a short distance above Erchless, while the right of 

 salmon fishing remaining to the latter is now at a great distance 

 and of insignificant value, viz., away at the head waters, the 

 Auric and Cannich, and a small part of the Glass below the 

 junction of the latter tributary. 



The land boundaries are curiously divided up in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Erchless, the result of operations of which I know 

 little or nothing, but to many the arrangement as to right of 

 salmon fishing is much more inexplicable. Yet, owing to the 

 nature of all such titles in Scotland, such arrangements are 

 not very uncommon. The Farrar is the most important 

 tributary and is fishable for some 14 miles. It flows out of 

 Loch Monar, a sheet of water five miles long and 663 feet above 

 sea-level, to which, however, salmon are unable to ascend 

 owing to an extensive and picturesque fall 15 to 16 feet high, 

 situated about half-a-mile below the loch. The opening up 

 of this fall has been in contemplation in view of the fine spawn- 

 ing streams at the head of Loch Monar, but a proposal to 

 create a reservoir for a large hydro-electric power scheme has 

 set all such ideas aside. The channel of the Farrar for some 

 little distance below those Falls of Monar is rocky and unin- 

 viting, and, so far as I have been able to learn, not much 

 frequented by fish at any time. A fine spawning stream enters 

 from the south below the rocky belt, and this, I am informed, 

 draws the fish which penetrate to these head waters. 



Below this point Glenstrathfarrar is open, and for some 

 distance below Braulen Lodge the river is winding and at times 

 not at all rapid. The hills of the deer forest attached to the 

 lodge rise high and are often of beautiful outline. The fishing 

 of the Farrar down to a point about two miles from the mouth 

 1 " Chisolm v. Fraser," Diet. App. i. voce " Salmon Fishing." 



