SELKIRK. 



the surface was drawn off to turn the wheels. 

 There is a little good fishing water below the 

 bridge, near its confluence with the Tweed, 

 also above the bridge at Selkirk, and, when the 

 water is big, you will see, in defiance of all law, 

 and in open day light, poachers picking off the 

 sea-trout and salmon in great numbers, as they 

 run up the dam-dike or cauld, to spawn. In 

 close time I have seen two or three taken in as 

 many minutes while I passed by, the villanous 

 rascals having no thought but how to kill ' twa 

 at a blow,' if they could. It is a fine pastoral 

 walk from this place to St Mary's Loch ; the 

 distance, about sixteen miles, you can rest and 

 be thankful at Tibby Shiels (now Mrs Kichard- 

 son), and you will, no doubt, find yourself com- 

 fortable there, and feel yourselves, like old Isaak 

 and his friends, in clean beds with sheets smell- 

 ing sweet of lavender. Youcan then return to the 

 Tweed via Traquair to Inverleithen or Peebles. 

 To those who would desire a solitary walk for 

 contemplation, or opportunity for a long quiet 

 gossip by themselves, which, in the midst of this 

 busy world, is not often found, when they 

 wish to return to Edinburgh, let them take such 

 a horse as Bishop Jewel presented to Richard 



