174 LEAVES FBOM A GAME BOOK. 



The appearance of the minister on the scene was 

 accounted for by his having seen the top of the rod 

 flashing in the sunlight above the bank, and being 

 alone on the return journey, having given his man 

 leave to stay the rest of the day with some relations, 

 he had left his trap on the roadside, well aware the 

 old horse would stand still for ever, to come post- 

 haste, full of righteous indignation, to discover which 

 of his parishioners was desecrating the Sabbath, when, 

 finding it was only a heathen Sassenach at work, he 

 allowed his sporting instincts to overcome his religious 

 feelings. 



Thus ended my first and last Sunday fishing in 

 Scotland. To those who do not fish it may seem 

 surprising that I risked damnation for a paltry twenty- 

 pounder ; to those who do fish it may perhaps seem 

 equally odd that other Sundays were not devoted to the 

 same sport. Thus, as there is no just pleasing every 

 one, I hope that both fisher and non-fisher will forgive 

 me for a first ofi'ence. 



During this visit to Gaick I had the additional 



