AND ANGLING SONGS. IOQ 



sweet clear-running current ; and were the breeding-grounds in 

 connexion with it extended into Balquhidder, which could readily 

 be effected by opening up the Pass of Leny, an immense deal of 

 benefit would accrue, both to parties interested in the lower 

 fishings, and to the proprietors of the river in general. One 

 cause of the falling off of the Forth fishings, which has pressed 

 heavily upon them for the third of a century, has been the 

 steam navigation carried on betwixt Alloa and Stirling. The 

 line of river communication betwixt these towns is indirect and 

 circuitous, extending to more than twenty miles, whereas by land 

 it does not much exceed seven. The employment of steamers 

 within this contracted portion of the tideway has always been 

 open to objections, but now that the benefits derived from it are 

 to be obtained more expeditiously, and at a less cost, by means of 

 a direct line of rail, there can be no pretence but a vexatious one 

 for keeping up this mode of communication. At any rate, the 

 offer of a small compensatory sum might act as an inducement 

 to its relinquishment, as a result of which a vast improvement of 

 the salmon-fishings might be looked forward to with confidence, 

 the Teith and Allan waters to their fountain-heads sharing the 

 benefit. 



Crossing over to Loch Lomond, we halted on the 27th of June 

 at Glen Falloch, and I find it recorded in my journal, that on the 

 following day, a fine freshet occurring, I took with the fly, from 

 the Falloch river, 110 trout a similar number being captured 

 by my friend. The 29th of June found us quartered at Dal- 

 mally, the scene of our angling operations being a petty lake in 

 the neighbourhood of Tyndrum, out of which I drew two dozens 

 of small trout. On the 30th we fished Loch Awe, near Cladich, 

 with indifferent success. On the 2d of July, u fine breeze pre- 

 vailing, I again fished the lake, partly from a boat and partly 

 wading along that portion of it which is termed the Brandir, 



