BURNING THE WATER. 77 



Winhr. 



But our sport is often spoiled through the day 

 (on Tweed), by poachers through the night 

 especially. If the water is low, we are often 

 awakened from our peaceful slumbers by noises 

 and the glare of lights. On looking out we 

 soon see the cause, the spunkies are out burn- 

 ing the water, as it is called. This process con- 

 sists of six or seven men or callants, one carrying 

 the light or iron lantern, fixed to the end of a 

 pole, some six feet in length, filled either with 

 parrot coal, fir wood, or any combustible stuff 

 which can make a flaming light on the water. 

 On approaching redds or shallow places, or 

 spawning beds, and especially streams, where, 

 with the glare of the light, the fish, to an ex- 

 perienced eye, are easily seen (for my part, I 

 might gaze until I was black and blue in the 

 face, or ere I could distinguish one from a 

 stone), another of the party aye ready with a 

 1 three tae'd leister on his shouther,' at the end 

 of some long sapling ash, which has been lately 



