AND ANGLING SONGS. 1 67 



My letter of introduction presented at New Kelso the name 

 given to one of the farms on an enlarged scale now common 

 throughout the Highlands, and which were set up, the greater 

 proportion of them, and are still occupied by Borderers secured 

 me a kind reception by Dr. Dickson, the lessee at that time. I 

 had established myself at the inn at Jeantown on the evening of 

 the 26th, but by his pressing invitation, was prevailed to shift 

 my quarters to New Kelso, which was conveniently situated on 

 the river-side, close to the best angling water. One of the 

 freshets I have spoken of occurred during the night ; and on the 

 following morning, when 1 was in the act of making preparations 

 for a cast before breakfast, the report came that numbers of salmon 

 and grilses had been observed attempting to climb the cruive- 

 dyke, and that a pool in front of the house was alive with them. 



As already mentioned, the rod, one of Phin's, which I had 

 armed myself with, was a light trouting one, a weapon quite 

 inadequate, both in point of length and power, for the purposes 

 of salmon-fishing. My tackle also was of the delicate order, 

 with the exception of a few fanciful flies, very unartistically 

 worked up on the occasion, out of an assortment of floss- silks, 

 turkey -feathers, etc. ; and although I had provided myself with a 

 couple of reels, the run of the larger one did not much exceed forty 

 yards. In short, the enjoyment of salmon-fishing had scarcely 

 been contemplated, and in nowise provided for in my excursion. 

 I was also at that -time, I confess, quite an untutored hand in the 

 crowning sport. 



Such an opportunity, however, for receiving an initiatory 

 lesson was not to be neglected ; and as the insufficiency of my 

 tackle was still to be tested, I felt no reason why I should put 

 into exercise the virtue of self-control. It was quick march 

 with me, therefore, to the water's edge, where, having set 

 up my rod, and to the best of my judgment tricked out the line 

 for favour, I took the stream at knee-depth, for the purpose of 



