142 AUTUMNS IN ARGYLLSHIRE 



the queer rocky hill, Dunadd, which stands out 

 like an island in the middle, was an actual 

 island in days gone by. There it was that 

 Pharaoh's daughter landed in pursuit of Moses, 

 and I have myself seen her footprints on the 

 rock at the summit, nearly two feet long and 

 broad in proportion a beetle-crusher sufficiently 

 formidable to account for the secret and pre- 

 cipitate flight of the Israelitish law-giver. From 

 that point the river winds more and more through 

 the flat, until its course resembles a double S 

 near the point where it flows into the sea at 

 Crinan. All the lower part is tidal, and there 

 is a chance of getting a grilse, or a basket of 

 sea-trout near the mouth at " first of flood," 

 even when it is hopeless to attempt to fish the 

 upper portion of the stream. It is necessary 

 for success that there should be a good curl on 

 the water, which can only be the case when 

 there is half a gale blowing, as the banks are 

 high above the stream and shelter it from the 

 wind. 



But to-day I am bound for the "Irishman's 

 pool," and although the old horse rattles me 

 along at a good pace, he appears to be crawling, 

 so eager am I to get to work. As I pass the 

 bend of the river at Drimvaur, and cross the 

 bridge at Kilmichael, I can see that " she'll fish 

 fine "; and, as I sit down and put my rod to- 

 gether by the pool, I can see three or four fish 



