196 SALMON FISHING IN THE TWEED 



enchantment could subsist in a running stream. 

 Arrived there he formed the scoop of his shovel 

 into an iron boat, in which he sat and launched 

 himself, using the handle as a rudder, round which 

 he twisted his tail that he might steer with the 

 greater nicety tali auxilio. Michael, forgetting, 

 in the heat of his wrath, his impotence of enchant- 

 ment in a river, got into a fisherman's boat above 

 Dryburgh, and gave chase. Now this boat being 

 more buoyant than the imp's iron one, he gained 

 fast upon him, and just got hold of his tail in a 

 long reach above Mertoun, called ever after from 

 that event the Doup Roads. As to whether the 

 said usual appendage to a devil was greased or not, 

 tradition has left us in ignorance ; but it eluded 

 the grip, and the imp shot down a cauld, through 

 so rapid a gorge, that the warlock hesitated to 

 follow. 



And now a new scene presented itself; a third 

 boat came sweeping under the scaurs in their rear, 

 and joined the chase, its crew consisting of Thomas 

 the Rhymer, and two zealous fathers, who pursued 

 the wizard with bell, book, and candle ; and they 

 would have ran into him a little below Craigover, 

 but that he shot ashore; and then being on dry 

 land, threw up by his art a bay behind him to 

 obstruct their passage, and thus jocky l them ; but 

 Thomas of Ercildoune, who was also a powerful 

 magician, opened a passage on the south side of 

 the river, and the monks only received a slight 

 check. In the meantime Michael launched again ; 



1 This spot still goes by the name of Jocky Buy, and is a good 

 salmon cast. 



