THE CASSLEY 223 



to some extent by the action of the water, so that, although the 

 obstacle is serious, and, of course, completely checks all spring 

 fish, it is negotiable to the active, when the water temperature 

 has reached a point which makes salmon inclined to leap at 

 such obstructions. 



The water above the fall is of an interesting character, there 

 being a fine succession of streamy pools, and plenty of good 

 gravel for spawning purposes. The Cassley has a very similar 

 character, running as it does in a very similar glen on the other 

 side of Cam na Ceardaich. The Oykell has a course of about 

 5 miles above Loch Ailsh, and rises from the high slopes of 

 Ben More, Assynt, and Coniveall. The Cassley flows down 

 from the northern side of the same great hills. 



THE CASSLEY 



This river deserves, in my opinion, a rather higher relative 

 place among the Kyle rivers than it generally seems to get. Its 

 full value to the district is perhaps not yet attained. It enters 

 the tidal section of the Oykell below Rosehall, and it has a 

 grand mouth, but, as already indicated, it has two most serious 

 falls. Ten miles of beautiful water occur between those falls, 

 the pools being of most interesting character. The river is as it 

 were the best of the Oykell over again on a slightly smaller 

 scale. Many of the turns and pools in the Cassley remind me 

 much of the Helmsdale below Kildonan or of beat three below. 



The spawning ground is particularly good, and I am informed 

 by the river watchers that although there are not as many fish 

 up the Cassley at spawning time as are to be seen up the Oykell, 

 some of the spawning fords, and more especially the Rosal ford, 

 attract more fish than any others in the whole district. As 

 many as 70 pairs of fish have been counted simultaneously 

 making redds in the Rosal ford. If fish had a better chance of 

 distributing themselves over those splendid spawning grounds, 

 the full value of the Cassley to the district, as well as to the 

 immediate owners, would be more nearly realised. 



Both falls are most formidable, and, although some modifi- 

 cation of the upper fall has already taken place, the greatest 

 benefit to the river is certainly in the proper opening up of the 

 lower falls at Rosehall. As things are at present one is almost 



