232 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING. 



Highlander can never pass a seal, a deer, or a salmon, 

 without having a trial of skill with him." 



To take a fish whose tail alone is seen projecting from 

 the hiding place, provide yourself with a small steel 

 harpoon, the barbs of which shut into the shaft when 

 the point enters and makes the wound, but which spread 

 laterally when you pull it back ; tie a line of small 

 whip-cord to this weapon, and fix the butt of the har- 

 poon itself in the point of a rude rod made for the 

 purpose. You may then push it into the tail of the fish, 

 when the little spear will come from the rod ; and you 

 may pull out your salmon with the line attached to it. 



There are some very large stones in the Tweed, 

 sometimes two or three lying together, under which 

 salmon can totally conceal themselves ; but you will 

 easily discover if there are any underneath them by 

 the air-bubbles which they cast up to the surface of 

 the water when you poke with your leister shaft. My 

 method of taking these fish was to throw a casting net 

 over the stone or stones that concealed them, and then 

 to poke them out with the pole of the leister. The 

 net should be strong, or they will swim clean through 

 it, as if it were a cobweb ; in throwing the net, you 

 must cast above the hiding stone, allowing for the 

 current, which will take it down some little distance 

 before it sinks to the bottom, according to the depth 

 and strength of the water. Of course this method may 

 also apply to fish 'partially concealed. 



In sunning, as in burning, begin at the lower part of 

 the river that belongs to you, so that you may again 

 come across those fish that escape upwards, and may not 



