24 ANGLING & ART IN SCOTLAND 



After this brilliant piece of sport, little more was 

 accomplished in the angling way ; and as the after- 

 noon was far advanced, and the rain continued to 

 fall pitilessly, we made the best of our way to the 

 hospitable walls of the Black Laggan. But, alas! 

 little did we know the disappointment which was 

 awaiting us there, as we quietly fished our way up 

 the Black Water of Dee that day. 



The last mile or so, near to the shores of the 

 loch, was of the most fatiguing kind. The moor- 

 land was intersected by numerous channels of black 

 peat-bog, too wide in many cases to spring across, 

 so that a man must either step into the slime at 

 the bottom, or find a piece of grassy turf to use 

 as a stepping-stone. It was perhaps seven o'clock 

 when we arrived at the shepherd's house ; but the 

 good woman greeted us with upraised hands, and 

 signs of the deepest distress. We were not long 

 in learning the cause of her dismay. As we had 

 not arrived on the appointed day, the " herd " and 

 his wife had given us up ; — had allowed two other, 

 bloated and self-satisfied, and, in our eyes, of course 

 wholly-objectionable, fishermen to have our room, 

 (the only room) ; selfish wretches, who were quite 

 unwilling to budge or inconvenience themselves 



