140 AN ANGLER'S RAMBLES 



satisfaction of killing two or three sea-trout. These, most of 

 them at least, I begin to think must have been kelted or spent 

 fish, although taken within tidemark in the vicinity of Cramond. 

 The higher division of the Almond, near Kirkliston, was also 

 frequented by me ; and 1 have caught trout with minnow and 

 worm in the Union Canal itself, at the point where it is fed 

 from the river above mentioned, not far from the aqueduct. 



Before quitting the Almond and Water of Leith, I cannot 

 refrain from giving publicity to a scheme which, I am tempted 

 to think, might, if carried into execution with proper tact and 

 energy, assist not only to adorn the Scottish capital, but to place 

 it and its port on a level, or nearly so, with some of our greatest 

 commercial cities. 



My project may be stated as follows : It is simply to divert 

 the currents of the rivers Teith and Forth from points of eleva- 

 tion selected above Stirling, and, bringing them gradually into 

 association with the Devon, the Carron, and the Almond, dis- 

 charge the so combined bulk of fluid into the bed, widened, 

 deepened, embanked, and properly prepared for its reception, 

 of the Water of Leith. In the way of doing this there are in 

 reality no great engineering difficulties. As to the expense, it 

 is, as regards cutting and shielding, for there is no levelling to 

 talk of required, absolutely nothing compared to what is usually 

 incurred by the formation and getting up of a line of rail. In 

 respect to the mills and manufactories held in connexion with 

 the streams above-named, the loss likely to accrue to their pre- 

 sent proprietors is susceptible of being indemnified by a transfer 

 of water-power, etc., which, holding in view the extent of the 

 cut, would be very considerable ; and as to fisheries, I am in- 

 clined to regard as practicable their establishment, in course of 

 time, over a channel assisted from so many sources. In fact, in 

 place of the almost exhausted Forth, I venture to predict the 

 substitution of a splendid and well-cared-for salmon-river. The 



