CHAPTER X 



" And doun the stream, like Levin's gleam, 



The fleggit salmond flew ; 

 The ottar yaap his pray let drap, 

 And to his hiddils drew." 



Border Minstrelsy. 



WHILST the Pavilion* was getting ready 

 for my reception, I took up my quarters 

 at an inn at Melrose, and, at my instiga- 

 tion, Mr. Tintern came there also, and 

 thus we soon got intimate. The river had been 

 falling in for some time, and was now too low for 

 fly-fishing ; and as the sky had lately been pretty 

 clear, and as the evening promised a calm and 

 sunny day for the morrow, I promised to show him 

 the manner in which we speared salmon by the 

 light of the sun, should the weather prove as good 

 as I anticipated. 



My expectations for the time, at least, were ful- 

 filled ; for on waking I found the whole expanse of 

 heaven serene and glowing ; not a cloud to be seen, 

 not a breath of air to ruffle the water ; so I sent to 

 awaken my companion. Breakfast was prepared, 



* Having often mentioned the Pavilion Water, I should have 

 explained before that it belongs to Lord Somerville ; and I have 

 thus called it from the name of his house, which I rented for some 

 years, and which is about two miles up the river from Melrose. 

 The chief scene of my operations, however, was some miles lower 

 down the river from Dryburgh, as far as Makerstoun. 



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