408 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



matters. One man delights in huge Alpine peaks in their 

 brilliant hard atmosphere, another finds repose of soul in the 

 woods and misty distances of flat country. But I know not 

 where refined grandeur can be found as in the Scottish High- 

 lands ; while, apart from the actual landscape, the subtle 

 charm of romance, people, sentiment, call it what you will, all 

 combine to captivate both the Celt and the Saxon. At the 

 same time, there is a strong charm about the knot of hills which 

 discharge to the four points of the compass the head waters of 

 Doon, the water of Trool, the Blackwater of Dee, and the 

 Penkill Burn to the Cree at Minnigaff. 



The Cree below the junction with the Minnock has a course 

 of 6 miles to Newton-Stewart. In this there is much pleasant 

 fishing water, although in the neighbourhood of Penninghame 

 the river expands into a wide lake- like stretch which is some- 

 times described as Loch Cree a pikey-looking place. Much 

 of the water is of that character which is most suitable for spring 

 fishing ; there is a fine steady run with a swirl here and there, 

 now a break over some boulders, then a shallower and quicker 

 stream, again an even rather quiet stretch. Some of the pools 

 are so broad as to make the use of a boat more or less necessary. 

 These are the Kirk Pool, just above Newton-Stewart, the Grey 

 Stone, the Boat Pool, and the West Mains Pool, all below 

 Penninghame Boat House. At other parts in this lower 

 section of the river wading is an advantage to the angler. 



As the river nears Newton-Stewart, it passes over two weirs, 

 the Kirk Pool weir and the Minnigaff weir, while below Newton- 

 Stewart Bridge there is a low weir to protect the foundations of 

 the bridge. All may be regarded as partial obstructions to the 

 passage of fish, but each has a simple form of pass which 

 satisfies the regulations. These obstructions are, moreover, 

 not sufficient to prevent the ascent of spring fish. 



A beautiful little stream called the Penkill Burn enters just 

 above Newton-Stewart. It is the sea-trout stream of the 

 district, but is pretty badly obstructed for the benefit of a large 

 Newton- Stewart sawmill. 



Below the town the river soon becomes of very easy gradient, 

 and within a mile and a half begins to wind in the most marked 

 manner. This, the tidal area, as in other rivers entering the 

 Solway, has banks of extremely fine sandy mud, easily stirred 



