266 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING. 



the channel ; his mouth seemed full of water and abuse; 

 he soon got rid of the one ; but before he could vent the 

 other, he was anticipated by the boat's crew, who all 

 shouted out shame upon him for his awkwardness, and 

 for having nearly upset the boat in his fall, and endan- 

 gered the lives of several worthy individuals. Thus a 

 sort of balance was struck between faults on both sides, 

 and Tom Purdie himself assisted him to regain the 

 boat ; " and Sandy, man," said he, as he lifted him in, 

 " I shall be always willing to dae ye some guid service 

 when ye need it ; sae ye'll let me ken when the burn- 

 ing pick gets aboard ye again." 



They now passed over some bare streams where no 

 salmon would lie ; the navigation amongst the rocks 

 was somewhat intricate, there being barely room for 

 the width of the boat in some of the rapids; but Charlie 

 Purdie hit the thing off to a nicety. They then burned 

 the Glass-wheel Pot, the Oak Tree, and the Noirs, in 

 all of which they got a few fish. 



" Rob," said Charlie, " wale out some o' yer sticks 

 that they may be weel kinelt afore we get into Brig-end 

 Pool ; now lads we mun cap weel here, for she will gang 

 owre the stream wi' a terrible flee ; od, I see them 

 glancin' doun the pool as thick as herrin'. Sandy, man, 

 but ye're dancin' again ; what's come owre ye ? ye'll be 

 wantin' Tarn Purdie's big ladle again, I'm thinkin'." 



"The deil may hae Tarn Purdie and his muckle 

 ladle ; for as he knockit off a bit fish in the boat, he 

 dung yin o' the taes o' the waster intil my leg ; he is 

 aye sae camsterie." 



" Ye canna blame me, Sandy, for the mischanter, for 



