I30 ANGLING & ART IN SCOTLAND 



precipitous slopes of Ben Cruachan rise abruptly 

 to the right. 



To reach most of the best fishing ground the 

 wide end of this funnel must be traversed. This 

 is often a precarious venture, as the storms from 

 the west or north-west sweep out of the narrow 

 gorge with incredible fury, lashing up the water 

 into a veritable sea of foaming crests. The 

 boats on the loch are fortunately very seaworthy, 

 and the boatmen experienced, so that accidents 

 owing to rough weather do not often occur, 

 although appearances are sometimes decidedly 

 alarming. 



Mr. Fraser, the proprietor of the hotel, places a 

 steam launch at the disposal of his guests during 

 the greater part of the trouting season, for towing 

 the boats to the fishing ground. A fleet of five 

 or six boats may often be seen starting out of 

 a morning, which causes at times some stirring 

 episodes. At one period the launch was not very 

 reliable. When half-way across the Pass, she 

 would occasionally refuse to go, when, if the 

 weather were rough, an indescribable scene of con- 

 fusion might be witnessed. However, this boat 

 was a most necessary institution, as otherwise the 



