162 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING. 



vations relate to the river Tweed only : for it must be 

 obvious that as rivers vary in their depth and volume 

 of water, no general rule for their being in proper 

 order for the fly can be laid down. 



The waxing, as it is called, and the progress of a 

 flood, has been already explained in a former part of 

 these pages. 



When the Tweed is not clear, but, as it is termed, 

 drumly, salmon that have been some time in the river 

 never take well; in such case, when there were no clean 

 fish in the water, I have sometimes had fourteen or fif- 

 teen offers without taking above one or two fish. They 

 do not see the fly distinctly, and therefore come at it 

 slowly and with hesitation. One would think they had 

 some particular method of holding it awhile by way of 

 experiment, just within the point of their noses ; for I 

 have often struck a salmon sharply, and felt as if my 

 hook was firmly fixed in him, when in a moment after- 

 wards it has come away quite easily; and this has 

 happened two or three times in succession, the water 

 being in the foul state I have mentioned. It must be 

 noted also, that when the river is swollen and discolored, 

 salmon travel in the daytime, particularly when there 

 is a fresh wind to ruffle the surface of the water ; and 

 as they are intent on their journey, they are not apt to 

 pay much attention to such food as we worthies offer 

 them. Now as this uncertainty of hooking a fish that 

 offers happens to me or to you, so the same thing will 

 occur to every other fisherman that is out on the same 

 day, these animals being all of the same mind ; but I 

 have heard good fishermen in the North say, that they 



