THE DEE 109 



the course of the Garrawalt, a rough and obstructed tributary, to 

 the mountain of Lochnagar (3768 feet) in the distance. This 

 mountain takes its name from a romantic little tarn, the loch of 

 the hare, overhung by high precipices, situated far up on its north- 

 east side. It is reduced to contemptible insignificance in my photo- 

 graph, but is a mountain of beautiful outline and outstanding 

 character. Byron called it " the most sublime and picturesque of 

 the Caledonian Alps." Queen Victoria, writing from Balmoral in 

 1850, 1 calls it " the jewel of all the mountains here." 



In the lower Invercauld Water in May, 1892, two rods got 156 fish 

 in sixteen days. One day yielded 25, another 24, and another 20 fish. 

 In the same month in 1896, two rods had 257 in twenty-two days' 

 fishing. 2 These were, however, rather exceptional performances. The 

 river now settles down to an almost uniformly fine character. It is 

 not a big river in its run of 16 miles past Balmoral to Ballater, and 

 it is never deep. The bottom is stony, at times very roughly 

 stony, and again opening out in fine shingly stretches. It has been 

 estimated that from Braemar to the sea the pace of the Dee, under 

 normal conditions, is 3J miles an hour, and the average depth about 

 4 feet. It is ideal fly-fishing water in almost its whole length, 

 although in great stretches of the river all manner of lures are used. 



It will be seen from the map of the river that Invercauld "Water 

 extends a long way on the left bank. The section below Balmoral 

 Bridge used to go with Ballater Hotel, and a very fine section it is ; 

 indeed, I understand it was considered by many the best hotel water 

 in Scotland. It is now let to a syndicate of anglers. His Majesty 

 the King has Balmoral, Abergeldie, and Birkhall Waters on the 

 right bank, and rents part of Invercauld on the left bank, from the 

 old Bridge of Dee down to Balmoral Bridge. This gives nearly 

 15 miles on the right and 6 on the left bank. The royal forest 

 ground extends southwards to the summit of Lochnagar. It was 

 just above Balmoral Bridge that the late Queen and Prince Albert 

 witnessed, in 1850, an exhibition of salmon leistering. " It had a 

 very pretty effect; about one hundred men wading through the 

 river, some in kilts with poles and spears, all very much excited." s 



The present Balmoral Castle was erected in 1853-1855, and is 

 rather nearer the river than the former edifice. I understand that 

 improvements and enlargements have recently been effected. The 



1 Journal of our Life in the Highlands, 1868, p. 122. 



2 Grimble, Salmon Rivers of Scotland, ii. p. 57. 



3 Journal of our Life in the Highlands, 1868, p. 125. 



