THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



himself. A net is occasionally also drawn in Loch Eck, mostly at 

 the top of the loch. Three other nets are also employed in the 

 loch, but the proportion of salmon taken is not great. 



Whistlefield Inn is one of the places from which netting is carried 

 on, which reminds me of a " character " of an old lady who used to 

 dispense her most limited hospitality there in former days. Sir 

 Daniel MadSTee used to fish the loch, and finding sport dull on one 

 occasion, he bethought him of lunch at the inn. 



" Well, Mrs. , what can you give me for lunch ?" 



" Och ! and what would you like, Sir Daniel ? " 



" Well, have you any cold salmon ?" 



" Saamon ! There's no saamon in the loch, Sir Daniel." 



" Oh yes, there are salmon in the loch. I've seen them, although 

 I have not caught them." 



" Well, I have no salmon. But what would you like, Sir Daniel?" 



" Can you give me a steak ? " 



" Och, Sir Daniel, the man who should bring me the meat has 

 not come." 



" Well, well, what can you give me ? " 



" Och, but what would you like, Sir Daniel ? " 



" Can you give me some chicken ? " 



" Chicken ! Would you have me kill the hen, Sir Daniel ? " 



" But, bless me ! what have you got ? " 



" Och ! och ! but what would you like, Sir Daniel ? " 



" Have you any ham ? " with certainty that this she was bound 

 to have. 



" Och, it was a fery good ham I had, Sir Daniel, but a drover 

 body was here last night and he just finished it, Sir Daniel." 



Matters were now becoming desperate. What was there more 

 homely than ham ? Ham and eggs, a fail-me-never all the High- 

 lands over, was evidently too much to expect at Whistlefield. Then 

 a bright thought struck the painter. 



" Have you any whisky ?" he asked. 



" Hoch, aye, of course I have some whisky, Sir Daniel." 



" And have you any oatcake and cheese ? " 



" Yes, yes, whatever you would like, Sir Daniel." 



" Then give me some whisky and cake and cheese." 



So on this frugal but quite sustaining fare he lunched." 



At the Royal Academy Dinner Sir Daniel, who, of course, was 

 famous as a raconteur, gave the tale in great style. 



The sequel was equally amusing. 



