102 LEAVES FKOM A GAME BOOK. 



came south, for the hill snows had long since vanished, 

 while cold east wind, with bright days and frosty nights, 

 reduced the river to summer level and ended all chance 

 of getting sport. That state of affairs lasted through 

 May, June and July, so that this was one of the worst 

 seasons ever known on Deeside. During the month of 

 April I got twenty-two fish solely by the aid of the 

 minnow ; and as, after Barker left me on the 10th, there 

 was more water than I could cover alone, my two gillies 

 fished every day with fly, and while I took twelve fish, 

 they captured but three between them. Both these men 

 w^ere extra good with the rod and knew every stone in 

 the river, and anyone at Banchory will confirm me when 

 I say that Bremner and Dawson were (and no doubt still 

 are) two good hard-working men. Altogether on this 

 water I totalled up sixty-six fish, averaging nine and a 

 half pounds ; and all things considered, I was quite 

 satisfied. 



On August the 11th I arrived at Elibank-on-Tweed 

 on a visit to Barker, and the 12th I shall never forget, 

 for we had no sooner reached our highest ground — 



