TAY DISTRICT 57 



work. A skirmish, or perhaps more properly a reconnaissance, accom- 

 panied with a deal of stone throwing on the poachers' part, enabled 

 the party of water bailiffs to estimate the force they had to deal 

 with. Mr. Lumsden then drew off his men, landed, and deployed 

 till he was able, unseen, to approach from the land within striking 

 distance. After waiting till the law-breakers were busily engaged 

 in hauling their net the signal for attack was given, and a deter- 

 mined little battle immediately ensued. Many crowns were cracked, 

 and a good deal of damage was done on both sides, but the discom- 

 fiture of the poachers was complete, and many prisoners were 

 secured. Two men who tried to swim to Mugdrum Island were 

 drowned. Feeling ran high in Newburgh, and the police scented 

 manslaughter to follow. Fortunately, however, the well-planned 

 attack at the Gutter Hole had produced sufficient impression, and 

 the Courts wound up the proceedings without any additional charges. 

 The result in all conscience was serious enough. Doctors were busy 

 as well as lawyers ; but open poaching was crushed. 



Such adventures are still possible in Ireland, where cattle rather 

 than salmon seem recently to have been the game, but it is well-nigh 

 incredible that in peaceful Scotland such things should have taken 

 place not so very long ago. On the Borders, matters are at times 

 perhaps not dissimilar, and in Aberdeenshire there are also some 

 hardy rascals to deal with, but no organised poaching on a large 

 scale has now to be tackled as this Tay affair was. 



The estuary has been a famous centre of salmon fishing since 

 netting was first practised. It is a famous centre still, although 

 most of the netting is now concentrated in the narrow tidal waters 

 a few miles below Perth, all fishings in this section and below being 

 in the hands of the Tay Salmon Fisheries Company, so that all 

 elements of competition are eliminated, and the complement of fish 

 taken by only the necessary number of nets and men. The " hailing 

 grounds " or hauling beaches have a venerable aspect, smooth from 

 long use, and here the windlasses are at work night and day during 

 the season. The bothies for the men are low stone houses with 

 slated roofs, with frequently a store attached for the gear; sweep 

 nets of extraordinary lengths are in use in some of the wide shots. 

 The crews who carry on the fishing have also a certain hereditary 

 interest in the work, and Maxwells and Pantons, Thomases and 

 Haggarts are always to be found in the water or in the boats, at 

 the windlasses or in the bothies. 



In the old days the whole estuary was netted by toot and haul, 



