THE TWEED AT DRYBURGH. Til 



rarely wet line until I pass Benrig and come within 

 view of Mertoun Bridge, a short way below which 

 runs a section of water which, to the eye of an 

 experienced trout-fisher, is irresistible ; not to say that 

 in the Maxton range itself there are no holds of 

 equal promise, only, were one to commence upon 

 such in earnest, he must make up his mind to stick 

 to them, and leave unaccomplished, for that day at 

 least, an intended pilgrimage to St. Mary's shrine. 

 "With this in view therefore, and a meditative lounge 

 on the Braeheads behind Lessuden, I skip o'er the 

 Benrig pool and its superintending stream, and begin 

 operations with fly, minnow, or worm, according to 

 the condition of the river, near the base of a small 

 island which subtends the bridge above mentioned. 

 There, where Tweed is rejoined by a run of diverted 

 water which has done service at Mertoun Mill, I 

 seldom fail, in the months of May, June, and July, 

 to bring to bank a dozen or two of fine trout, ranging 

 in size from half-a-pound to one and a half pounds. 

 On June 11, 1855, 1 find mention made in my diary 

 of my having taken, chiefly at the point indi- 

 cated, forty-two trout, which weighed in the gross 

 close upon 20 Ibs., and on the 27th of the same 

 month and year I encreeled thirty-four more which 

 turned the scale at 21 Ibs. On the occasion last 

 referred to the river was small and clear, and the day 

 intensely hot. Well-scoured worms were the lures 



