THE BORGIE 267 



need hardly be expected above the fall till May. Below the 

 fall, however, are several fair-sized pools, where with a grilse 

 rod, provided there is sufficient water-flow, good spring fishing 

 may be secured in February and March. The right of fishing 

 has recently been bought by Mr. Barnett. Unfortunately, if 

 the water runs low through dry weather and frost, the chances 

 are not very good, for as a whole the Borgie does not offer good 

 holding for fish, and much of the channel is boulder-strewn and 

 rather shallow. 



A fair run of grilse generally occurs, and these lively fellows 

 make little of the fall when the river is in good running order. 

 The lower reaches also yield a good number of sea-trout. The 

 salmon are of similar weight to the Naver spring fish, 8-10 lb., 

 and from 50 to 60 salmon and grilse are expected in the whole 

 season. 



The lochs from which the river flows are Loch Loyal, about 

 4| miles long, lying at the foot of Ben Loyal or Laoghal, an 

 isolated and well-marked hill, past which the main road from 

 Altnaharra to Tongue passes, and Loch Craggie or Creagach, 

 and Loch Slaim, commonly called Slam. In Sutherland, 

 owing to the long period in which Englishmen have been sport- 

 ing tenants, the corruption of Gaelic place-names is, I think, 

 more marked than anywhere else in the Highlands. Lochs 

 Craggie and Slam are diminishing continuations of Loch Loyal, 

 and no doubt were at one time part of it, before the erosion was 

 so far advanced as it is now. The lochs stand at the same level 

 (369 feet) and are connected by narrow channels. A few 

 salmon are got in the two lower lochs, but very seldom, indeed, 

 is a salmon caught in Loch Loyal, although great numbers 

 pass through it to ascend in autumn the Loch Cuil-na-Sith 

 stream (corrupted into Coulside) which forms the head waters. 

 If this stream from its chief source, the three lochs and the 

 Borgie be taken together, the total waterway is 20 miles. 



Loch Slam is preserved along with the Borgie, but before the 

 1st of August it may be fished, or formerly could be fished, by 

 visitors at Tongue Hotel. Loch Craggie may be fished the 

 whole season in this way. There are three boats on it, and 

 the brown trout run heavy. Loch Loyal is also fished from 

 Tongue, and at the same time visitors at Altnaharra Hotel can 

 fish it, and it is rather nearer the latter than the former. 



