52 THE VALE OF GALA. 



Mill, who accompanied me, that a long confab 

 on the subject was most absurdly brought to an 

 end by the following turn in the conversation : 



Piscator. It appears then, sir, that you spend 

 a great deal of your time in fishing ? 



Gent. Yes I do, friend, from eight to nine 

 months in the year. 



Pis. Of one who is so devoted to the sport, 

 may I be permitted to ask, how you spend the 

 other three or four months ? 



Gent. Ha', Sir, I hie me home and betake 

 myself to my books, etc. 



Mill. But, could you not fill up the other 

 three or four months with your favourite sport 

 also ! 



Gent. (Excited), Ha', my dear friend, tell me, 

 ha' tell, where I could do so ? 



Mill. At the Bullers o' Buchan, for skate. 



Before I pass on to the Tweed and Don, I 

 must notice the Ettrick, but I never fished it 

 above Selkirk, for who would do so, unless 

 assured of fine conditioned water, when he has 

 all the fine casts of the Tweed in the neigh- 

 bourhood, which will be noticed in due time. 

 There are good trout in this river, however ; but 

 I am afraid that the mills are destroying them 



