20 FISH AKD rismira IN SCOTLAND. 



and by the time we had fished the beurn from Auchindinny 

 bridge to the beautiful Esk, which it joins about a mile from the 

 bridge, it rained so heavily, that not even the shady banks of the 

 river could protect us. We were close to the entrance of a mill, 

 rare in the Esk ; near this the trout rose at the flies two and 

 three at a time ; we took them every instant ; large trout began 

 to show themselves ; they bit as freely as the smaller ones ; but 

 now it rained in torrents, and fairly drove us from the river, 

 whilst to the last, the faster and heavier it rained the faster the 

 trout rose at pur artificial flies. 



The sight of trout cannot be very good. In stormy weather 

 ruffling the waters strongly, and in heavy rain, you may stand by 

 the river side and take as many trout as you like, in still 

 reaches, where there are neither rocks nor perceptible streams. 

 The same happens in cloudy, stormy, windy weather, when the 

 waters are clear. Along the base of Mount) oy, on the Whit- 

 water, there is a long still reach, as straight as a canal, which, 

 unless the waters be dark and flooded, no angler would think of 

 fishing ; for, as in walking along the banks he can see the trout, 

 it is natural to suppose that they also see him ; nevertheless, 

 in heavy winds, though weather and river be clear, I have fished 

 this reach with much success, taking many good-sized trout. 

 In the rocky streams above lie many fine trout twenty- two 

 inches in length. But I must return to the Esk. 



It was now dusk, and we sought shelter and refreshment. A 

 small roadside thatched cottage furnished both. Next morn- 

 ing by break of day we were on our road to the Tweed. 



At the time of which I now speak, the lovely vale of Glen- 

 corse was as Nature made it ; solitary, wild, but not desolate. 

 Now, a reservoir with its enormous embankment, intended to 

 assist in the supply of water to the capital (in which, however, it 

 signally failed) sadly disfigures it. The trout confined to this 

 reservoir could no longer pass down, or at all events, none could ever 

 again pass upwards towards the source from which the stream of 

 Glencorse takes its rise. I have fished in this reservoir, but with 

 no success. It has been said, that some sea trout which happened 

 to be at the sources of the stream when the reservoir was closed, 

 being thus cut off from their descent to the ocean, became accus- 



