CONSCIENTIOUS WATER BAILIFF. 189 



In times when water bailiffs in Tweed had very 

 small salaries, they themselves were by no means scru- 

 pulous about the observance of close time, but partook 

 of the good things of the river in all seasons, lawful or 

 unlawful. There is a man now, I believe, living at 

 Selkirk, who in times of yore used certain little free- 

 doms with the Tweed Act, which did not become the 

 virtue of his office. As a water bailiff he was sworn to 

 tell of all he saw ; and indeed, as he said, it could not 

 be expected that he should tell of what he did not see. 



When his dinner was served up during close time, 

 his wife usually brought to the table in the first place a 

 platter of potatoes and a napkin ; she then bound the 

 latter over his eyes that nothing might offend his sight. 

 This being done, the illegal salmon was brought in 

 smoking hot, and he fell to, blindfolded as he was, like 

 a conscientious water bailiff, — if you know what that 

 is ; nor was the napkin taken from his eyes till the fins 

 and bones were removed from the room, and every 

 visible evidence of a salmon having been there had 

 completely vanished : thus he saw no illegal act com- 

 mitted, and went to give in his annual report at Corn- 

 hill with his idea of a clear conscience. This was going 

 too near the wind, or rather the water ; but what would 

 you have? — the man was literal, and a great eater of 

 Salmon from his youth. 



People who are not water bailiffs have not always so 

 delicate a conscience. Let us examine the style and 

 bearing of such marauders as have fallen under our 

 notice. 



In the first place, there is your man with a pout net, 

 which resembles a landiDg net, only that it is very con- 



