146 AN ANGLER'S RAMBLES 



them, proceed at once, it is conjectured, through Loch Garve 

 into Strath Vaich. They have never, to my knowledge, been 

 taken by the angler in any portion of the intermediate water. 

 In August 1844, a fine running flood having occurred, I observed 

 several grilses in the act of surmounting a small waterfall near 

 Strath Garve ; but, although I persevered a whole day, over a 

 series of pools on both sides of the break, I did not succeed in 

 raising a single fish, their reputed halting-places being five or 

 six miles farther up, or at a distance of ten or twelve from the 

 Rogie Falls. This disinclination in salmon to take up a position 

 or rise at the fly after surmounting some formidable impediment, 

 is illustrated in the case of the Kilmorack or Beauly ascent, and 

 that of Killin, on the Dochart ; also, quite as satisfactorily, 

 although not to the same extent, in the case of the Shin Ess, or 

 Linn of Shin, on overcoming which the fish proceed, before rest- 

 ing or settling down, nearly a couple of miles, whereas the 

 Beauly adventurers penetrate at once to the heights of the Glass 

 and Farrar rivers, and the Tay salmon, passing up the falls of 

 the Dochart, take up their quarters near Luib. 



The name Rogie, or Roagie, given to this waterfall, applied, 

 not many years ago, to a considerable village in its neighbour- 

 hood, now depopulated, and razed righteously to the surface of 

 the soil it stood on. Of all the curses which I can well conceive 

 in connexion with landed property in the Highlands, the greatest 

 is that of a Celtic community of the baser sort. Pride, the pride 

 of name and cousinship, the latter as many degrees removed as 

 might establish for its pretender a claim to the moon when its 

 present occupant neglects to show face ; laziness past redemp- 

 tion, and religious arrogance grown to such a height, that it 

 needs but a gloomy, sanctimonious cast of countenance, and a 

 stern, overbearing manner, consorted with the merest smattering 

 of Scriptural erudition, to ride roughshod over the educated 

 pulpit, and usurp its influence and authority these are but a 



