350 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



from the pike of Loch Tulla, introduced as described. I cannot, 

 however, find any real reason for this view. There is, of course, no 

 impossibility in pike coming down the river Orchy from Loch Tulla 

 to Loch Awe, but pike seem to have been in Loch Awe before they 

 were in Loch Tulla. Possibly the dangerous person who advised 

 the Marquis had already been acting on his own initiative in the 

 neighbourhood. His name is unknown, but his works do follow 

 him. The Second Statistical Account, which was written by a Eev. 

 Duncan Maclean in 1843, i.e. five years before the introduction of 

 pike to Loch Tulla, contains the following passage : " Various kinds 

 of trout abound in all our lakes, especially in Loch Awe, viz. 

 salmon, eels, char, now rather scarce fish, perch, and pike ; the pike 

 is only of recent importation, and it is greatly feared that the 

 character of the lakes will suffer from the ravages of this active and 

 voracious fish." The term " recent importation " may mean several 

 years, as apparently the all-too-well-known effect was already 

 showing. It seems to me probable, therefore, that pike were in 

 Loch Awe eight or ten years before they were in Loch Tulla. The 

 use of the word " trout " as including salmon, eels, char, and pike, 

 etc., is unusual. It clearly means " fish," just as sailor-men, when 

 speaking of foreign craft, be they French, Italian, or what you will, 

 class them all under the name of " Dutchman." 



There is a fishing story related in the Life of Christopher North 

 connected with Loch Tulla which is worth recalling. 1 The celebrated 

 Professor of Philosophy was staying at the school-house at the foot 

 of Glen Orchy, for the neighbourhood was a favourite resort of his. 

 He started very early one morning to tramp to Loch Tulla to fish, 

 thirteen miles distant. On reaching it he discovered that he had 

 left the top of his rod behind. " Nothing daunted, he walked back, 

 breakfasted, got his fishing rod, made all complete, and off again to 

 Loch Toila. He could not resist fishing on the river when a pool 

 looked invitingly, but he went always onwards, reaching the loch a 

 second time, fished round it, and found that the long summer day 

 had come to an end. He set off for his home again with his fishing 

 basket full, and confessing somewhat to weariness. Passing near a 

 farmhouse whose inmates he knew (for he had formed acquaintance 

 with all), he went to get some food. They were in bed, for it was 

 eleven o'clock at night, and, after rousing them, the hostess hastened 

 to supply him ; but he requested her to get him some whisky and 



1 Christopher North, a Memoir of John Wilson, by his Daughter, Mrs. Gordon. Ed. 

 1879, p. 137. 



