392 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



receives pollutions of various kinds. In crossing the flat 

 grassy meadow between the works and the river, the impurities 

 are subjected to a certain amount of land treatment, but a 

 sufficient amount of the discharge is direct enough to have a 

 high temperature on entering the river. An examination trap 

 exists here, and on one occasion, having the curiosity to test 

 the temperature, I found it 96 F. Loch Doon on the same 

 day was 55, so the contrast was violent for a creature like the 

 salmon or trout, whose blood is only slightly higher than the 

 temperature of the water in which it swims. Before now, 

 dreadful and sudden mortality has occurred amongst the fish 

 in the Doon. I don't know if it was these particular ironworks 

 which were to blame, but it was owing to this class of pollution 

 that, on five separate occasions between 1870 and 1893, serious 

 destruction of fish occurred. However, I don't think this is 

 likely to happen again. 



Other pollution troubles have, in the past, arisen from a large 

 blanket work called the Skeldon Mills, several miles lower 

 down. The scour -wash was run into a pond, where the soapy 

 waste became very foul ; but the sluice of this pond was some 

 time ago placed under the control of the river -watcher, who 

 was able to run it off at times when it was likely to do a 

 minimum of harm to the river. The mills have since, I under- 

 stand, been closed. The dam dyke in connection with these 

 mills, as well as two other dykes within a few miles, are 

 fortunately not serious obstructions. 



The river now has a very pleasant running character, with a 

 succession of quiet pools, often much sheltered by trees. There 

 is, as might be expected, great similarity between the lower 

 Doon and the lower Ayr. The nature of the country through 

 which each river passes in its lower stretch is of a gentle 

 undulating character, good farming land, stretches of meadow, 

 woods, and now and again well-kept policies. At Dalrymple 

 the river takes an abrupt turn to the south for 2 miles to 

 Cassillis House, is checked almost immediately in a westerly 

 course, turns back eastwards, and then goes north again. 

 Several times afterwards it appears as if trying again to find 

 its way west, but always has to pass on northwards. It flows 

 over a three-foot weir a little distance above Auchendrane 

 House, takes a bend round Doonholm, and is at the Burns' 



