244 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



ascend beyond the fall ; but it is evident that very early fish, 

 running in a mild winter, occasionally do so, since in the winter 

 of 1908, when netting for hatchery purposes above, two clean- 

 run fish were taken. This beat more than once has produced 

 over 200 fish in the season, and this quite recently. 



UPPER BEATS 



No. 1. "From Kildonan Bridge to Parapet below Suisgill 

 Lodge." There are two parapets at Suisgill, one above and the 

 other below the lodge. In this beat are three pools and several 

 pleasantly broken-up streams where fish may be taken by 

 those who know the water well. 



No. 2. "From said Parapet to Foot of Island above Surf ace- 

 man's House." The island has before now been described as 

 at old Suisgill ; it is, however, on Borrobol and properly on 

 beat No. 3. There are five pools in this beat, and as many as 

 12 fish have been taken from it. 



No. 3. " From said Island to Kinbrace Railway Bridge." 

 This is a long beat with eleven pools, which in early summer 

 sometimes yield great sport. In 1896 a total of 81 fish 

 were, I understand, taken from this beat in ten days. It is 

 the best upper beat. 



No. 4. *' From said Bridge to junction of Badanloch 

 Water." This junction is that already referred to as near 

 Kinbrace Railway Station, and which properly forms the start 

 of" the river Helmsdale. There are five pools. 



No. 5. " From said Junction to Loch-na-Moine." This 

 was the beat the late Mr. Buckley was fishing when he made the 

 wonderful catch referred to later. The top pool Mr. Buckley 

 called " Still Water Pool " ; its usual name is "The Canal." 

 There is really only one other pool in the beat, also rather quiet, 

 called Crockan. These two pools have to be in just the right 

 order to fish really well. Under ordinary conditions most fish 

 are taken not so much from the pools as from a number of little 

 streams and runs which are also included in the beat. The 

 river is now a small one. 



No. 6. " To be Loch-na-Moine." This is an expansion of the 

 river in the form of a small loch, a short distance below Badan- 

 loch. It is in this respect analogous to Loch Beg on the Thurso, 



