Salmon Fishing'. 97 



The last day's fishing in the Ness was fast 

 drawing towards a close, and I felt, as I believe 

 most of us anglers do, very reluctant to say 

 good bye to a river on the banks of which I had 

 spent so many pleasant hours. If I cannot 

 relate how grilse after grilse was captured, to 

 the large extent, I was told, they might have 

 amounted, had I come a fortnight earlier ; I can 

 in all sincerity say, that I was quite satisfied 

 with the sport I had enjoyed ; and that the 

 lovely streams of this fine river have never since 

 lost their place in my memory. In fact, though 

 many may smile at the confession of one of the 

 " harmless lunatics" (we anglers are sometimes 

 called), for many and many a day I could not 

 divest myself of the idea that I was ever and anon 

 still listening to their sweet music ! No wonder a 

 true fisherman, like Stoddart, should exclaim ! 



" The streams of old Scotland for me ! 



The joyous, the wilful, the wild; 

 The waters of song, and of glee, 

 That ramble away to the sea, 



With the step and the mirth of a child." 



