LOCH-FISHING. 145 



walls had often echoed to the drone of the piper, and 

 its floors to the stamp of the Highland fling, no hostess 

 now welcomed us at the door, and as we stood in the 

 deserted rooms, no glass in the windows sheltered us 

 from the passing gust. Though there were two small 

 hovels near at hand, still tenanted, a wren twittering in 

 the half fallen chimney was the sole lingering inhab- 

 itant of the house itself, and our ponies only fed on 

 the corn we had ourselves brought for them. 



Leaving, however, this melancholy scene and its sad 

 associations behind us, we soon forgot them, as we 

 climbed the mountain-side, and drank in the invigo- 

 rating breeze, which played about the rocky pass 

 leading to the loch, which was to be the scene of the 

 day's amusement. An hour's labour brought us to 

 the spot, where the boat lay buried in heather, to 

 shield it from the rays of the sun. With the aid of 

 Donald, who had accompanied us, to carry provisions 

 and make himself generally useful, the little skiff was 

 soon launched upon the curling waters, and we began 

 operations. 



Walter and Donald took the boat, and pulling across 

 the loch, proceeded to let out a long line, having 

 attached to it, at intervals of three or four yards, a 

 number of hooks baited with worm. Meanwhile I 

 wandered round the shore with a light rod, and tried 

 my luck with the red hackle and a black gnat. The 

 sun was however too powerful ; and though occasion- 

 ally a good fish cautiously drew near and inspected my 

 fly, only two or three small ones were tempted to try 

 its merits, and they shortly found their way into my 

 creel. At length the line, now fully baited and let out 

 was left suspended from sundry floats, made of small 

 bundles of sedge ; and entering the boat, I proceeded 



