40 ANGLING & ART IN SCOTLAND 



a change to bracing air, persuaded an angling friend 

 to spend a fortnight with me at Dairy. I wrote to 

 Burnside from London, asking him if we could have 

 one of the boats on Lochinvar for a certain day, 

 which I named, in the ensuing week ; and he replied 

 cordially that he would keep it for us for that day. 

 However, a relapse followed, and I was unable to 

 leave town on the day arranged ; so that it was some 

 days later when my friend and I paid an unan- 

 nounced visit to the loch. Burnside seemed glad to 

 see me again, but said, unfortunately the two boats 

 were wanted that morning by a "pairty" — Mr. 



K and his keeper being expected at the loch for 



a long-promised day's fishing, in which Burnside 

 himself was going to join. I understood him to say 



that he was going to fish with Mr. K in one boat, 



while the keeper used the other ; but, if we would 

 kindly return to the boathouse when we saw the 

 gentlemen arrive, we might use one of the boats in 

 the meantime. This we promised to do, so taking 

 the smaller boat out, we commenced fishing. 



To tell the truth, I thought it highly probable 

 that the promised "pairty" would not turn up at 

 all, for I had often noticed that if one unexpectedly 

 arrived at the loch for a day's fishing, Burnside 



