A PERTHSHIRE GLEN 215 



lost itself amid the crags of Ben More. His voice 

 at any rate seemed unimpaired. 



We inquired what sport he had had, to which 

 was bellowed back, " I'm rather hard o' hearing." 



We then enticed the veteran ashore, and helped 

 him to sort his tackle. His eyesight appeared to 

 be slightly defective, at any rate at close quarters, as 

 he had omitted to pass the line through the top 

 ring of the rod, which accounted for the tangle 

 already alluded to. But, beyond the deafness, he 

 showed little other signs of his advanced age, and 

 appeared, as of yore, to be amiably disposed 

 towards the proffered whisky-flask. 



Conversation was carried on under difficulties. 

 I bawled into his ear that I remembered him well, 

 years ago, when visiting Crianlarich, to which he 

 well-ni^h cracked the drum of mine with "Ay I — 

 I'll warrant" — to be followed by several shakes 

 of the head and pleased chucklings. 



After some further interchange of remarks — for 

 steady converse could hardly be sustained — we 

 parted from our elderly sportsman with mutual ex- 

 pressions of goodwill, shoving him off in his boat 

 to continue his drift down the loch with, we may 

 hope, further and more successful results. 



Ah I a man feels young in Glendochart even at 



