THE REDBURK 91 



CHAPTER VII. 



The River Redburn. Ambition dangerous. Salmon leaps. Loch 

 Fishing. Poit Bhruich. Hazardous Leap. What makes an 

 Angler. Curious Capture. Eagle and Salmon. 



ON Wednesday, we, i.e., one of the Laird's sons and 

 myself, went to the Redburn for the last time this 

 season. Passing by the pools which we had fished on 

 former occasions, as being at present too placid and 

 sleepy, we followed the river's course, up to some higher 

 places, which I had not yet visited, but which in Donald's 

 opinion were more likely to have fish than the lower 

 parts, since the late flood. 



For some distance the river, having been diverted 

 from its original winding course, passed through a 

 straight cut of recent construction; and here there was 

 no angling to be had, the stream being too uniform and 

 shallow ; but in due time we arrived at the upper pools 

 and commenced operations. 



The salmon were leaping about in a most tantalising 

 fashion; great fellows springing out of the water, 

 sometimes two or three feet into the air, and coming 

 down with a splash like that of a man. Now and then 

 they swam up to the fly, and passed it without taking 

 the least notice, or, with a lazy flap of the tail, turned 

 round and darted back into the black depths below. 

 The sight alone for some time kept up the interest, 

 and I fished on, though without success. At length, 

 however, having tried the sailor's plan, of whistling to 

 coax a wind, again and again, but to no purpose, and 

 despairing of sport, I gave it up as a bad job. I had, 

 indeed, succeeded in hooking one fish, a small one of 



