254 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



source receives considerable rainfall, but the lower river seems to do 

 little to support this, and rapidly gets out of order. A high river is 

 best for the Halladale, and the month of April the most productive 

 time for the lower reaches. 



After June, the best fishing is in the rocky pools of the upper 

 reaches. These can be reached without much difficulty from For- 

 sinard, but, if horse conveyance is alone possible, are scarcely worth 

 the trouble and time of 15 miles drive from Melvich or Bighouse. 



The river is divided into six beats. The shooting tenants at 

 Bighouse and at Forsinard have the right of fishing, the former by 

 one rod, the latter by two rods. Forsinard Hotel has a rod, and 

 Melvich Hotel a rod, and another rod is generally let by the Suther- 

 land estate. The year 1907 was a very good one on the Halladale, 

 64 fish being secured, but the average for the last five years is 34. 

 Fly is alone allowed, a lure which is perhaps not very well suited to 

 the upper pools in summer. No one need grumble when fly is alone 

 used in a river where salmon are likely to respond well to the fly. 

 But in a river where few fish are secured by fly, and where another 

 lure might greatly increase the sporting interest without in any way 

 injuring the stock of fish, even a fly purist is inclined to reflect that 

 men who like to work with gudgeons and minnows would probably 

 do little harm to their brethren and greatly increase their own 

 chances of sport. 



THE NAVER AND BORGIE. 



ANGLING SEASON : 12th January to 30th September. 

 NETTING SEASON : llth February to 26th August. 



The river belongs to the Duke of Sutherland and is supervised by his factor, 

 Mr. John Morrison, Tongue. 



The Naver, the largest river of North Sutherland, flows from Loch 

 Naver to the Pentland Firth at Torrisdale Bay, a distance of 18 

 miles. Loch Naver is six miles long, and into the head of this loch 

 flows the Mudale, a small river which is the head water of the 

 Naver. The Mudale has several sources, one from Loch Coire-na- 

 Sich, a lakelet lying at the foot of the north-east slopes of Ben Hee, 

 and 8J miles from Loch Naver at Altriaharra, is perhaps the chief 

 source, as it is the longest course. On the other side of Ben Hee 

 lies Loch Merkland at the head waters of the Shin, so that the 

 mountain forms the most westerly dividing point for the largest 



