128 AN ANGLER'S RAMBLES 



On the llth of July we started for the Spean, which joins 

 the Lochy at Mucomre Bridge, eight miles from Fort William. 

 As accessory to the formation of the Caledonian Canal, a cutting 

 was made, in the early part of the present century, betwixt 

 Loch Lochy and the point of confluence above-named, where, 

 through the medium of an artificial waterfall, the progress of the 

 salmon into Loch Ai-kaig becomes intercepted. 



Loch Arkaig, I may mention, is a noble sheet of water nearly 

 sixteen miles in length, and was previously the favourite resort 

 of these fish, presenting as it does, in the feeders which traverse 

 Glen Dessary, Mealy, etc., ample and congenial spawning accom- 

 modation. To re -open a means of ascent for salmon to this 

 range of country would be desirable, and could easily, in these 

 engineering days, be accomplished. In the event of this being 

 done, an additional interest would accrue to the Locheil district, 

 and to that magnificent pass through which Loch Arkaig dis- 

 charges its overplus into Loch Lochy, designated in Gaelic a 

 Mile Dorch, or the Dark Mile. 



As we ascended the Spean towards Roy Bridge, we were 

 invited by the appearance of one or two of the more accessible 

 pools in this impetuous river, to pass a trouting-fly over them ; 

 but the result not proving satisfactory, we unmounted our rods 

 and moved onwards. The night of the llth was passed at the 

 inn of Roy Bridge, near Keppoch, and next day, after proceed- 

 ing a few miles up the Spean, we assorted our fishing gear, and 

 set to work on the upper part of the river, not far from where it 

 leaves Loch Laggan. There the streams assume quite a different 

 character from that maintained by them in the lower section of 

 the glen. About eight miles from the loch, the Spean, at that 

 time, was crossed by a rocky barrier, of height sufficient to inter- 

 cept the progress of the salmon towards the Badenoch district. 

 It was in contemplation some years ago, by those interested in 

 the upper fishings, to get rid of that obstacle, the calculated 



