30 AN ANGLER'S RAMBLES 



Both weather and water were in a most unfavourable state for 

 salmon-fishing ; the former bright and oppressively hot, the latter 

 small and clear. Moreover, the pest of gnats was at its height ; 

 and no one but he who has had experience of the Sutherland 

 midge can imagine what torture this very insignificant demon 

 puts one to. My take on the upper water, which, owing to the 

 long drought, and the difficulty in consequence the fish had in 

 surmounting the Falls at Shinness, was but thinly stocked, con- 

 sisted merely of three grilses ; but I had the consolation of being 

 told by Mr. Young, that a party of anglers, including { Ephemera,' 

 had thrashed the same stretch of river for the preceding ten days, 

 and only encrceled a single fin. 



On the day following, I selected Loch Shin as my field of 

 action, in the high hope of capturing a specimen or two of the 

 Salmoferox. For this purpose, proceeding to Lairg, I engaged 

 a boat, but failed in securing the services of the ferryman, 

 Mackay, recommended to me by Mr. Young. A puritanical- 

 looking Highlander, however, responding to the name of Donald, 

 was at my disposal ; and save that he lost me a lot of valuable 

 time by insisting on the necessity of providing myself with baits 

 for trolling with out of the small lake which subtends Loch Shin, 

 instead of procuring them, as I showed him how to do, from the 

 feeders of the main loch, did his work with the oar in good style, 

 and evidently knew the places where the big trout were likely 

 to be taken. It was not, however, until late in the afternoon 

 that I succeeded in hooking and landing the desired specimen, 

 zferox of about six pounds, my fly-rod in the interim having 

 effected the capture of some nice trout, ranging in weight from 

 Itj Ib. to half a Ib. A portion of the following day was devoted 

 to the examination of Mr. Young's collection, and discussing 

 with its owner certain points in the natural history of the 

 salmon, etc. We were not altogether at one on the habits of the 

 otter ; but I agreed with him to the letter as to the ravages com- 



