LOCH-NA-LARICH 181 



from the hills, and the light boat is flying down 

 the loch almost too rapidly for fishing, and, in 

 spite of the utmost exertions of the man at the 

 oars, the boat is down over the flies almost as 

 soon as they touch the water. Two or three 

 fish move at the fly in the course of the drift, 

 but none of them are hooked, as it is really 

 impossible to keep the line properly straight 

 and strike in a workmanlike manner. It is but 

 an easterly squall, and falls as rapidly as it rises ; 

 and, when a toiling and laborious pull up-wind 

 has got us nearly back to the far end of the 

 loch, all is calm once more, and rock, hill, and 

 reed are reflected double in the glassy surface. 



The basket at the end of the day contains 

 only thirteen trout, and although there are one 

 or two big ones, the average weight of the whole 

 cannot be more than a quarter of a pound a 

 bad day both in number and size. At this time 

 of the year I ought to be sure of at least a 

 couple of dozen in an afternoon of about three 

 to the pound. I have not changed my flies 

 much, as the rising fish have seemed contented 

 with what was offered them a teal and green, a 

 zulu and an alder. My cast was a very fine one, 

 and when for a short time I tried burn -trout 

 flies of the smallest size on drawn gut, I did 

 not meet with sufficient success to encourage 

 me to persist in the experiment. I also conde- 

 scended to a minnow for a short time while I 



