THE LOWER BEATS 233 



Caen Pools, upper and lower, the Eailway Bridge, the Sand Pool or 

 Tumble Down Dyke a cast which does not seem to yield much I 

 am informed that owing to the tumbling in of Kichard Dawson, after 

 lunch one day, the late Sir John Kerslake christened the pool 

 " Tumble Down Dick." The next pool is probably named after the 

 same Sir John, but it is now called Jone's Pool or Jones. Mr. 

 Sykes suggests that this pronunciation is in all probability simply 

 the result of the Highland manner of pronouncing John. Above 

 this are the Alder, Stall, and Salzcraggie Pools. From the last, 15 

 fish have been taken in a day. 



No. 2. " From Salzcraggie to the tail of Lower Torrish Pool." 

 There are six pools including Kilpheddar, which takes a long time 

 to work over, but often yields good results. 



No. 3. " From Lower Torrish to a post to be fixed at the tail of 

 Baddy wood Pool." I fear the post has never been fixed as described, 

 but probably the tail of Baddy wood Pool is sufficiently distinct. This 

 is a short beat containing three very fine pools. 15 and 12 fish have 

 been taken in a day. 



No. 4. " From Baddywood to top of Kilearnan Dyke Pool." This 

 is, perhaps, the least interesting beat in the river, as the seven pools 

 are almost all sluggish. It fishes best in high water or with an up- 

 stream breeze. In spring, kelts are apt to be much in evidence, and 

 in cold springs it is apt to get frozen over. 



No. 5. " From Kilearnan Dyke Pool to top of Kildonan Dyke 

 Pool." This beat contains the Duible Pool, which in old days was 

 considered quite one of the best on the river. It does not now 

 yield as good results as formerly, owing, it is believed, to the shifting 

 of the gravel banks and flow of the main current. The Short Pool 

 is also an excellent cast. The Boat Pool, is best with an up-stream 

 breeze, and on its particular day has yielded as many as 18 fish. 



No. 6. " From Kildonan Dyke Pool to Kildonan Bridge." The 

 pools are The Manse, Little Eock, Big Eock, Flat, Fall, and the two 

 Station Pools. Fish usually congregate in great numbers below the 

 fall as the early season advances, and sport is often very good. I 

 believe 16 fish is the best from the beat, but the average is high, and 

 certainly the best in the whole river. When the weather is cold all 

 through spring, fish do not ascend beyond the fall ; but it is evident 

 that very early fish, running in a mild winter, occasionally do so, 

 since in the winter of 1908, when netting for hatchery purposes 

 above, two clean-run fish were taken. This beat more than once 

 has produced over 800 fish in the season, and this quite recently. 



