222 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING 



get off the spear when he might attempt to lift him ; 

 in the true spirit of a Highlander, and without say- 

 ing a word to any one, plunged at once into the 

 Tweed with his clothes on, dived down to the fish, 

 and brought him into the boat with his hands. 

 " A Highlander can never pass a seal, a deer, or 

 a salmon, without having a trial of skill with him." 



To take a fish whose tail alone is seen projecting 

 from the hiding place, provide yourself with a small 

 steel harpoon, the barbs of which shut into the shaft 

 when the point enters and makes the wound, but 

 which spread laterally when you pull it back ; tie 

 a line of small whip-cord to this weapon, and fix 

 the butt of the harpoon itself in the point of a rude 

 rod made for the purpose. You may then push it 

 into the tail of the fish, when the little spear will 

 come from the rod.; and you may pull out your 

 salmon with the line attached to it. 



There are some very large stones in the Tweed, 

 sometimes two or three lying together, under which 

 salmon can totally conceal themselves ; but you 

 will easily discover if there are any underneath them 

 by the air-bubbles which they cast up to the surface 

 of the water when you poke with your leister shaft. 

 My method of taking these fish was to throw a 

 casting net over the stone or stones that concealed 

 them, and then to poke them out with the pole of 

 the leister. The net should be strong, or they will 

 swim clean through it, as if it were a cobweb ; in 

 throwing the net, you must cast above the hiding 

 stone, allowing for the current, which will take it 

 down some little distance before it sinks to the 



