LOCH AWE 135 



of the boat. But had the storm increased instead 

 of moderating, and had Duncan adhered to his 

 expressed resolve, we should no doubt have been 

 placed in a most awkward position — for with the 

 water in the state in which it was in the morning, 

 it would have been quite unsafe to have attempted 

 to recross the Pass in a small boat. It is a dis- 

 tinct advantage in favour of Loch Awe that the 

 angler can always find some sheltered bay in which 

 to fish, even on the windiest of days. 



There is a story told of Duncan of the Launch, 

 of how he went to act as gillie one day for a 

 gentleman who was salmon fishing in the Pass of 

 Brander. The main road from Dalmally to Oban 

 runs along the water's edge on the north side, and 

 it was from that bank that the angler was fishing. 

 The pool upon which his efforts were directed was 

 the one known as the Brander, a slow-flowing 

 pool, where the water leaves the loch. Late on 

 in the afternoon, not having had any sport, he 

 relinquished his rod and went for a short walk. 

 No sooner had the gentleman gone than a bril- 

 liant idea flashed through Duncan's mind ; — why 

 should not he himself improve the shining hour 

 by taking a cast from the opposite bank? Now I 



