THE ORRIN 213 



but the leap, though not too high, is rendered very difficult by 

 a cross force of descending water. As a matter of fact, a con- 

 siderable number of fish do get up. To increase the facilities 

 for ascent would not be very difficult, and would be of immense 

 benefit to the whole district, for the total water-way above the 

 falls, including the three head streams, is about 30 miles, and 

 there is much fine spawning ground. The fear of injuring the 

 angling below the falls need not be seriously entertained. Fish 

 which lie below a fall are never good risers, and are much more 

 usefully employed ascending the waters above. 



RIVER ORRIN 



This river is the last of the contributary waters to the Conon. 

 It enters the main river lower down than the others and comes 

 from the south-west. It is, in total length, some 23 miles, but 

 barely three and a half are open to salmon. Like the Meig, it 

 rises away in the Strathconon deer forest, and has a long course 

 down a high valley. Just before reaching Fairburn it emerges 

 from the mountain region, and immediately below Fairburn it 

 tumbles over the curious Orrin Falls, and so across the flat plain 

 to the Conon. The rocks of the fall are conglomerate like the 

 rocks of the Beauly at Kilmorack. The drop is in part per- 

 pendicular, and about 15 feet is the total height. It would not 

 be difficult to let fish up to the long stretches of the upper Orrin. 

 The increase of breeding ground would be very great, and the 

 benefit to the general stock would in time be felt in proportion. 

 The sole right of fishing goes with Fairburn Estate, and I 

 understand that the reason why nothing has ever been done to 

 let fish up the falls is because the Fall Pool is netted. I recollect 

 being informed some years ago that about 1,200 fish had been 

 netted here by the end of May. It has been argued before now 

 that it is no one's business but the proprietor's whether the fish 

 are netted or allowed up the fall and kept for rod fishing. In a 

 sense no doubt this is perfectly true, but there is also, surely, 

 the general interest of the district to consider, and I would not 

 venture to suggest that the upper proprietors of the Conon 

 district failed in this respect. It seems to me that what is 

 wanted most of al,! is a beginning in the way of less netting at 

 the mouth, and the opening up of the cruives, when it will 



