14 AUTUMNS ON THE SPEY. 



clear, so that a single-gut casting line and a small 

 fly were indispensable. Day after day we had all 

 been longing for a fall in the barometer, to be 

 followed by a good " spate"* to bring up the large 

 fish from the sea, which were only waiting outside 

 for more water, to enable them to pass the bar, 

 rush up the stream, and reach their favourite pools. 

 The best season for the angler had but lately 

 commenced on this lower portion of the river. 

 The netting had ceased since the twenty-sixth of 

 August. Not a single kelt had yet been observed 

 on his or her downward voyage, and nothing was 

 wanting but a supply of fresh-run salmon, which 

 were now overdue. 



From what I have said of the velocity of the 

 river, and the frequent and shallow rapids occur- 

 ring between the pools in this portion of its 

 course, you will be prepared to believe that the 

 fisherman must either throw his fly from the bank 

 or wade into the stream for that purpose, and 

 that a boat of any kind would be troublesome to 

 manage on its surface. Such, indeed, is the rule, 

 which in this instance, as in many others, may be 

 proved by a solitary exception. A small coble 



Spate xpa.il tipcat, a flood. 



Gaelic, xpeid perhaps from pc, froth. JAMIESON'S Dictionary 

 of the fjcottish Language. 



