122 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



Byron was an only son, and is said to have crossed it with some 

 amused trepidation. 



The pool below the brig is netted, as also are two other pools 

 further up. The highest netting station is a short distance below 

 Muggiemoss Dam Dyke, four and a half miles from the mouth of 

 the river. 



The first obstruction to the ascent of salmon is at Kettoch Mill 

 (a meal mill), above Old Aberdeen, but the obstacle is reported to 

 be not a very serious one, and the pass provided in the dyke 

 efficient. 



Not very far above Kettoch Mill come the cruives at Gordon 

 Mills. These cruives have been much complained of. The dyke is 

 not high, but is sufficient, at ordinary levels of water, to stop fish. 

 At high levels fish can without difficulty make the ascent. There 

 are four boxes of the minimum type i.e. four feet across and 

 these are regularly fished. I believe, however, that the cruive 

 boxes are not so remunerative as the net and coble fishing just 

 below the dyke. The cruive fishings are divided amongst several 

 owners with varying shares. There is no gap or slop in the dyke, 

 and therefore the structure acts chiefly as a check to ascending fish, 

 which may be taken by the sweep net in great numbers. 



In the Statistical Account of 1797 1 the chronicler, referring to 

 salmon fishing above, says the profit " is very trifling, owing to the 

 number and construction of the cruives and dykes between this 

 place and sea. The salmon fishing company, who farm that part of 

 the river which lies nearest the sea, have built dykes for the 

 security of the cruives, which rise considerably above the surface of 

 the water, and prevent any fish of size from forcing their way up 

 the river, unless when it is extremely swelled with rain, and the 

 Saturday's slap is said to be but little attended to." The same 

 complaint seem to have continued from that day to this. 



Next obstruction, in the ascent of the river, is the Grandholm 

 Mill Dyke. The lade which supplies water to the tweed mill is 

 nearly a mile long and is well sluiced and hecked. There are five 

 sluices at the intake. One benefit from having so long a lade is 

 that, although in this instance it carries off a considerable volume of 

 water, it enables the dyke across the river to be comparatively low. 

 As a matter of fact, the dyke is an irregular structure, presenting 

 no great difficulty to fish, and having a " slap " in it. Woodside 

 paper or rag work, above Grandholm Dyke, is situated at an angle 



1 Vol. iii. p 68. 



