330 TWEED AND ITS TRIBUTARIES. 



September, it is crowded with salmon and grilses which, 

 when the river is low, are driven into nets or slaughtered 

 with the sanguinary leister. The Nethern heads also 

 is a famous resort for large salmon, and many is the 

 woeful face mirrored by shining Tweed above this cast, 

 when down, at the rate of a racehorse in full speed, 

 rushes the aroused fish, snapping, like the touch of fire, 

 the tackle of the angler and carrying with him the 

 daintiest fly that the fingers of Forrest ever put wing 

 to all, bitt and harness, with high hopes and stirring 

 fancies, into the abysses beneath. 



A little way from Killmouth, the lowermost stream 

 of the Makerston range, is situated, on a bank among 

 trees, Rob Kerss's cottage, where the old fisherman, 

 through the kindness of his liberal landlord, is provided 

 with every comfort and convenience. Many an angler, 

 peer and peasant, aye bard and philosopher, hath this 

 roof sheltered, and many a "kettle" has been held 

 here, boiling over with song, jest, and anecdote Long 

 may it be so. God bless thee, honest Rob ! 



Close to the cottage of Rob of the Trows, commences 

 the Floors water belonging to his Grace the Duke of 

 Roxburghe. This nobleman possesses the most valu- 

 able rod-fishings for salmon on Tweedside, and the 

 largest range of water in the district. On the south 

 side of the river, his right of salmon fishing extends 

 from the Rutherford water to Carham burn, in the 

 county of Northumberland, a distance of nine or ten 

 miles; not including Teviot, where he has property of 

 the same nature, from its junction upwards over a con- 

 siderable tract of river ground. On the north side, his 

 fishings range from the boundary wall at Kill-mouth, 

 along the policies of Floors, to about half a mile below 

 Kelso, a stretch of nearly four miles. 



