32 ANGLING & ART IN SCOTLAND 



smallness of one's being, than were the silence 

 absolute. A raven gives forth a hollow croak as 

 he wings his way eastward to the Carsphairn 

 hills ; beyond that, not even a sheep is heard to 

 bleat. 



Leaving this solemn scene behind us, we made 

 our way down the crags to the north-east. Here 

 it was that John descended more rapidly than was 

 his intention, and had to have recourse to his 

 knapsack from which to borrow a whole pair of 

 nether garments. And as we approached Car- 

 sphairn, so famished were we, that longing and 

 hungry eyes were cast even upon the beasts of 

 the field. But all things come to those who wait ; 

 and amply were we repaid when Miss MacRobert, 

 of the Salutation Hotel, placed a never-to-be-for- 

 gotten joint of roast beef in front of us, accom- 

 panied by a salad fit to be set before the gods. 

 And when we rose, some hours later, it was only 

 by a bare neck — two meagre scones — that the 

 Duke had won the race. 



Our first tour in Galloway was drawing to a 

 close ; there is little more worth telling. It was 

 on the Deugh that I cast my initial fly, and a 

 kindly stream we found it, yielding us many nice 



