222 FORAYS AMONG SALMON AND DEER. 



CHAPTER XV. 



Fishing. Provisions for the Day. The Route. Eagle shot. The 

 First Salmon. Great Run of Fish. Hard Fight. Variation in 

 the Sport. Deer slain. More Fish. Our Quarters for the Night. 

 Journey Home. Thunder-storm. Seal-shooting. Dredging for 

 Shells. Another Seal. 



THE following is an account, given verbatim, as Alister 

 relates it himself, of a day's sport in the river Dartion 

 in this neighbourhood : * It was the evening of the 

 5th or 6th of August that I resolved to start early next 

 morning for my favourite river, the Dartion ; it was 

 distant about fourteen miles, so I only went to it twice 

 a week ; and if sport was good I often remained over 

 night in a cave close to the river, consequently some 

 preparation was necessary. On this occasion I first 

 of all superintended the packing of a " leathern con- 

 veniency," made for the purpose, with " grub " for the 

 excursion (and allow me to advise you, if you ever 

 should require it, personally to superintend this most 

 necessary preparation for a night in a cave ; and don't 

 trust to either wife or servant, for, in their anxiety to 

 do good, they give what one does not want, and some- 

 times leave out what one does). That you may know 

 what is good to take, I shall tell you what I packed up. 

 A venison ham (salt meat is no objection by a river 

 side), a heap of oat cakes, a few hard biscuits, a home- 

 made cheese, some tea, sugar, salt, etc. ; a knife and 

 fork, and a small tin kettle, which answered as teapot 



* Extracted by permission from " The Field " newspaper, of October 

 2, 1858. 



