24 THE VALE OF GALA. 



half dozen of trout. You see, casting at right 

 angles across the stream, is the way to kill trout, 

 notwithstanding all that is said to the contraiy. 

 The water is of a a light porter colour ; had it 

 been otherwise, casting fine and far would have, 

 no doubt, been best ; and had it been a low water, 

 and of course clear, to cast up the water would 

 have been the plan. It is no new thing to do 

 this. I remember, twenty-five years ago, being 

 at Kelso, either at William Pyles' back-room, or 

 at the Cross Keys, my old friend Yule's, a dis- 

 sertation on fishing began among a few who 

 were ' moistening their clay,' and, after much 

 said by two who seemed to know well about it, 

 the whole argument came to short strokes ; 

 and, like the story in Blackwood, how many 

 fins has a cod at a word. Do you fish up the 

 water or down the water ? at a word ; down 

 the water was answered ; and he was imme- 

 diately pronounced to be no fisher. Having 

 taken your luncheon at two o'clock, and fished 

 down near to the cauld leading to the first 

 woollen mills, and up again to Bowland 

 station, you get home by the 6.30 train to 

 your l ain fire-side.' This you may occasion- 

 ally repeat, and, according as the water is low 



