SEA TROUT FISHING 173 



part of it looked like a sulky black ditch. This 

 burn had so little water that it seemed impossible 

 any fish could have got up the rocky places at 

 the mouth, but even then there were fresh run 

 sea trout up to two pounds' weight in the black 

 peaty holes, and they took a fly well. When 

 a spate came in the last week of August, and in 

 other spates during September, quantities of sea 

 trout and grilse came up this burn, and we 

 always found a number of fresh run fish in its 

 pools willing to rise at all heights of water. 



The lochs were less satisfactory. There was 

 no boat upon them, the bottom was of soft peat, 

 and the wading peculiar. After wading a few 

 steps into the water, one's feet sank into the 

 soft bottom, masses of bubbles came up with a 

 wallowing sound, and one had an impression of 

 standing upon a yielding surface, which would 

 collapse suddenly and let one down into an abyss. 

 There was no firm ground in the lochs whatever, 

 but we became used to the alarming feel of the 

 soft peat and to the bubbles, and in time lost 

 our fear, though we observed a certain caution 

 to the end. The most troublesome habit of 

 the lochs was that of becoming perfectly thick 



