1 86 AN ANGLER'S RAMBLES 



that occasion was a twenty-pounder slain by the bard. The 

 story of its capture, related by himself, was as follows : It was 

 taken opposite Holy- Lee, three miles below Innerleithen, with a 

 borrowed rod furnished with gear of the homeliest description. 

 On the fish being hooked, the reel, after a few turns, refused to 

 let off line, in which predicament the Shepherd was compelled 

 to trust entirely to the strength of his tackle. Strong it for- 

 tunately was, and goading as well as powerful were the barb and 

 bend of steel in the mouth of the salmon ; so much so, that under 

 their irritating pressure the fish performed a series of desperate 

 evolutions, which ended in its throwing itself high and dry upon 

 a bed of gravel close to the angler, who, it may be imagined, was 

 not quite so overcome by astonishment as to allow its return to 

 the river. 



Independent of those who found leisure to engage in its fishing 

 contests, St. Ronan's Club numbered among its members many 

 anglers of skill and renown not so favoured. In this capacity 

 my friend H. Gr. B. deserves mention. He was originally one 

 of the Waltonian school of rod-fishers. Old Izaak formed the 

 grammar-book of his acquisitions. He had studied him thoroughly, 

 stored up his quaint advice, and committed himself to the charm 

 of his fascinating simplicity, in the impression that this was an 

 essential part of the training of the craft. Among the qualifica- 

 tions which led him to do honour to his instructor, the Sheriff 

 was possessed of an indomitable amount of perseverance. I have 

 known him, hour after hour, hold on, in prospect of a glorious 

 nibble, under circumstances so inauspicious, that none but a real 

 enthusiast would have braved them. It was of such unflinching 

 and sportsman-like materials that our friend was made, the right 

 stuff in the main, to work with. Many a time, in my recollec- 

 tion, did the sluggish Leven (outlet of the far-famed Loch whose 

 castellated island is associated with the misfortunes of Mary 

 Stuart) carry on its surface the tall shadow of her zealous 



