270 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING. 



frae the clouds, and he fieed awa' on it till he became 

 inveesable. The folk at Darnick pu'd doun the pillar ; 

 they clidna leave ae stane on anither. Aye, aye, ye may 

 laugh and call this clish-ma-claver if ye please, but it's 

 true what I tell ye ; I have seen auld Michael mysel'." 



" Where, Charlie, where ? " 



" Why, aince on Cowden-knowes I saw his wraith, 

 and his torch a tap o' the hill, and his muckle black 

 horse feeding below on the muir, as plain as I see ye 

 the noo ; and though he is not in life at this day, for 

 he war killed by drinking the kail made o' a breme 

 sow, yet his spirit is abraid, ye ken, and it war that 

 which sent our boat to the bottom, for ye hadna a 

 fairy stane ;* but ye'll be wiser, I'm thinkin', afore ye 

 burn that cast again." 



" Aye, that will I ; but courage, man ; all is set to 

 rights, so let us have the whisky, for with that and the 

 blazing brands we shall be warm both within and with- 

 out, and fear no wizards. But if wizards ever visit 

 rivers, I hope they will open a slap in every cauld 

 where there is no local act, so as to admit of the free 

 run of fish ; for there are many fine-looking streams 

 that are ' bridled with a curb of stone.' I do not wish 

 to hurt the property of mill-owners ; but how easy it 

 would be in such cases to accommodate all parties by 

 making an opening at every barrier, and a proper slope 

 constructed with rolling stones at the back of it ; a 

 hatch to be put in at the opening, and drawn only when 

 there was a superfluity of water for the mill. This 



* See note at page 246. 



