THE UPPER BEATS 245 



and, like it, is fished from a boat. The short length of river 

 above Loch-na-Moine is reserved for the tenant of Badanloch 

 shootings. 



With regard to the manner in which the various beats may be 

 fished, definite rules are laid down. I have already explained 

 that the anglers do not confine themselves to then 1 own water, 

 but fish the various beats by rotation. The order in which the 

 beats are taken is from above downwards, and from the time 

 the upper beats are fished each angler has the same number 

 above and below the division at Kildonan Bridge. If No. 1 is 

 fished on the upper section No. 1 is fished by the same tenant 

 on the lower section, and this man fishes the two next beats the 

 following day. A list is drawn out at the beginning of the 

 season which sets the order throughout, but after 1st August 

 No. 1 upper beat is fished exclusively by Kildonan ; No. 2 

 upper beat by Suisgill ; and No. 3 by Borrobol. Torrish has 

 the water below Kildonan Bridge ; Kildonan, in addition to 

 No. 1 upper, has the right to fish Loch-na-Moine ; while the 

 river above Kinbrace Railway Bridge is fished conjointly by 

 Achintoul and Badanloch. Two rods may be fished on each 

 beat, but between llth January and 15th May the proprietor 

 must be one of the rods. Any one fishing during the last 

 month of the season (September) must return all female fish 

 caught. The use of the gaff is not allowed. 



It is sometimes said that the charm of salmon fishing is its 

 uncertainty. One never knows when a great day may be 

 experienced, or, on the other hand, when the most unforeseen 

 accidents may happen, or again when fish will behave in the 

 most extraordinary and unpardonable manner. No doubt men 

 who go to fish in the few places on this planet where salmon are 

 still very plentiful and quite unsophisticated, where, in other 

 words, a big score is almost certain to be made at any time, 

 return in a blase frame of mind, and lose their zest (for a con- 

 siderable time at least) for angling in the old country. None 

 the less it is remarkable that all of us wish more fish, and 

 cannot be satisfied with the infrequency of really good days. 

 There is perhaps no river in Scotland where good days are more 

 frequent than the Helmsdale. Given reasonable weather 

 conditions in spring, one goes out with a fair feeling of confidence 

 that one won't be unrewarded, that the probability is 2, 3, 



