SPRING FISHING IN LOCH ARD. 243 



Two miles further up is the lovely waterfall of 

 Ledeard, of which Scott gives a charming description 

 in Waverley : 



" At a short turning, the path, which had for some furlongs 

 lost sight of the brook, suddenly placed Waverley in front of a 

 romantic waterfall. It was not so remarkable either for great 

 height or quantity of water, as for the beautiful accompaniments 

 which made the spot interesting. After a broken cataract of 

 about twenty feet, the stream was received in a large natural 

 basin filled to the brim with water, which, when the bubbles 

 of the fall subsided, was so exquisitely clear, that although it 

 was of great depth, the eye could discern each pebble at the 

 bottom. Eddying round this reservoir, the brook found its 

 way over a broken part of the ledge, and formed a second fall, 

 which seemed to seek the very abyss ; then, wheeling out 

 beneath from among the smooth dark rocks, which it had 

 polished for ages, it wandered murmuring down the glen, 

 forming the stream up which Waverley had just ascended. 

 The borders of this romantic reservoir corresponded in beauty ; 

 but it was beauty of a stern and commanding cast, as if in 

 the act of expanding into grandeur." 



It is to some extent unlucky that at the time when 

 the fishing in Loch Ard is about its best the scenery 

 is pretty nearly at its worst. That region shows but 

 little verdure in April the trees, if not bare, are 

 dirty brown, and the mountains do somewhat suggest 

 the idea of elephants in the mange. But the season 

 has also its compensations the air is vocal all the 

 day with songs of birds, and the heart of man, when 

 winter is over and gone, and spring and summer are 



