388 THE BEAULEY, CONAN, &c. 



spawning grounds of Strathbran and Fannich. A short 

 way below the falls stands the hamlet of Upper Scat- 

 well, consisting of a few poor hovels. Here the Conan 

 is joined by a stream of considerable dimensions, the 

 Meig, which has its origin in Glenigag, passes through 

 Loch Benachan, and traverses Strath-Conan so named. 

 A short way above, where this river enters Conan, lie 

 the falls of Meig, below which is a salmon cast in good 

 esteem among the inhabitants of the district. There are 

 also, on the Conan above Scatwell, one or two pools where 

 rod-fishing for salmon is often successfully practised. 



On the hills betwixt Scatwell and Grugie-bridge is 

 situated a small lake, about a mile in circumference, out 

 of which, in July, 1835, I captured a trout, weighing 

 nearly seven pounds, and excelling in shape, beauty, 

 and quality, any fish I ever saw. The Gaelic name 

 given to me for this sheet of water was Loch Badienoch. 

 I was, previously to fishing it, informed that it contained 

 nothing but a few eels, but resolved, notwithstanding, to 

 give it a trial, in passing, with ordinary- sized trout-flies. 

 In the course of ten minutes after commencing, I be- 

 came master of the prize just mentioned, and in addition 

 to it, caught two other trout, each upwards of a pound in 

 weight. Below Scatwell, Conan, for about a mile, pursues 

 a sluggish course, and, in some places, is of great depth. 

 On reaching Muirtown, however, its character again 

 changes; and, after accomplishing a leap of some 

 height, its waters glide along with considerable velocity. 

 There are several casts for the salmon-fisher near this 

 point; and the river, at certain seasons, especially in 

 July and August, abounds in fish. Yellow trout, how- 

 ever, are by no means plentiful ; but finnocks and sea- 

 trout ascend in considerable numbers. 



Below Muirtown, Conan is enlarged by the RASAY or 



