100 ABERDEENSHIRE. 



water is famous for both. This is a pool that is 

 to the eye of an angler delightsome to see. On 

 the north side it is overhung with trees, which 

 afford a kind shade to the finny race ; and you 

 can so command it from the south side, there 

 needs no such switching as you are forced to 

 adopt in many good places. Switching may be 

 said to be a mode of casting the line, in order 

 not to strike the bank or any tree which is be- 

 hind you. It is done by a peculiar turn and 

 jerk of the rod, never lifting all your line nor 

 fly off the water ; and you must either be able 

 to do this, or occasionally pass over otherwise 

 capital water. But it is not needed here, and 

 we pass down below the mill of Kemnay, the 

 stream of which, especially for grilses, is first 

 rate. Occasionally this flows in a rapid to near 

 the Gartless Pool, the first sight of which will, 

 doubtless, command your attention. I once killed 

 a grilse of 6 Ibs. weight here ; and, leaving it on 

 the bank while I worked another in the upper 

 part of it, on returning to it I found that, 

 during my absence, an otter, which I observed 

 take to the water, had made his dinner off the 

 nape of the neck of my best fish, finding it, 

 no doubt, fresher than many an Alderman has 



