THE CLODDING LEISTER. 195 



going on formerly in close time by a recitation of the 

 confessions of my departed friend Thomas Purdie ; and 

 let it be borne in mind in his behalf, that at the time of 

 his cantrips salmon were not valuable, and, consequently, 

 little cared for, so no great harm was done ; but it is 

 clear from his own showing that Tom in his early days 

 was a sort of Donald Caird, for he had no right to be 

 " bleezing up," where he did. 



For the better understanding of his narrative, I shall 

 give a description of the clodding, or throwing leister, 

 or waster, as he was used to term it, the instrument 

 with which he performed his sleights. It differs ma- 

 terially from the one in common use ; a description of 

 which latter will be given hereafter. 



This throwing leister is used chiefly on the upper 

 parts of the Tweed, and its tributary streams, where 

 the water is not deep. The spear has five prongs of 

 unequal, but regularly graduated, length. Those which 

 are nearest the fisherman, and which come to the ground 

 first in throwing being the shortest. The entire iron 

 frame of the spear is double the weight of that in com- 

 mon use. An iron hoop is bound round the top of the 

 pole, as a counterbalancing weight ; and the pole itself 

 has a slight curve, the convex part being the outermost 

 in throwing : a rope made of goats' hair, called " the 

 lyams," is fastened to the top bar of the spear just above 

 the shortest prong; this rope is about twelve yards 

 long, and is tied to the arm of the thrower. The spear 

 is cast like a javelin ; and, if thrown by a skilful hand, 

 the top of the shaft, after it has pierced the fish, falls 

 beyond the vertical point towards the opposite bank of 



o 2 



