TWEEDSIDE FISHERMEN. 247 



racter of feats of sport, and, in reality, no more the 

 achievements of those professing to execute them, than 

 Punch and Judy is the veritable unassisted performance 

 of a set of wooden puppets. 



Let me describe the mode of rod-fishing for salmon 

 in the parts of Tweed I allude to. A stretch of water, 

 a mile or two in length, and comprehending in some 

 instances both, but in more only one side of the river, is 

 rented by a fisherman. For this he pays yearly a sum 

 of money, varying from fifteen to seventy pounds. 

 He has the liberty of using and constructing cairns, or 

 artificial projections, formed generally of stones, stakes, 

 and turf, to which, during small spates or floods, when 

 salmon are on the run, nets of a particular size and 

 shape can be attached. He may also, in some localities 

 adapted for its use, employ the long or seine-net ; but 

 besides these advantages, he is empowered, generally 

 speaking, to hire out boats for the purpose of rod- 

 angling. It is from the hire of these, chiefly, that he 

 derives his livelihood ; and really, to those who have a 

 good tack, and are of frugal habits, it is no unprofitable 

 business. The angling mania of late years has arrived 

 at such a height, that salmon-fishing may truly be con- 

 sidered a princely amusement, to be obtained only by 

 gold and interest, and ranked on the same footing with 

 deer-stalking itself. It is very true that the rate of 

 charge for a day's amusement is not what some would 

 consider absolutely exorbitant, being fixed by the fish- 

 erman at ten shillings, for which sum the boat is pro- 

 vided and managed it being understood, however, that 

 all fish caught are delivered up to the tacksman, or 

 taken off" his hands at market price ; but then, in order 

 to obtain, even on these terms, the boon in question, 

 is a matter of some difficulty, requiring, in many 



