LOCH AWE 131 



time taken up in rowing to the drifting ground 

 would have been too great. 



The launch was usually anchored half a mile 

 to the westward of the hotel, within sight of the ter- 

 race, which is perched high up above the water, and 

 it was customary to wave a white cloth as a signal 

 in a morning should she be required to tow any 

 boat to the fishing. The young man who acted 

 as skipper was decidedly interesting, and might 

 even be described as an original character. He was 

 generally known as Duncan of the Launch, to dis- 

 tinguish him from others of the same name who 

 might be in the district. He was blessed (or the 

 reverse) with a hasty temper, though otherwise 

 his disposition was obliging and amiable. He 

 would never grudge having to wait when he came 

 to fetch the boats home in an evening if the 

 fish happened to be on the rise ; for he was him- 

 self an ardent fisherman, which caused him to 

 be lenient towards the failings of that class of 

 mankind. At times, however, he was a bit difficult 

 to manage if rubbed up the wrong way. I can 

 well remember one occasion when this proved to 

 be the case. 



The day was very stormy ; in fact half a gale 



