14 THE SCOTTISH ANGLER. 



engine of death and torture, appropriately called the 

 Otter by James Hogg of Altrive, on account of the 

 similarity of its movements to those of that animal, 

 consists of a thinnish board of wood, thirty inches long 

 by ten broad, shaped in the form of a boat, and loaded 

 below with a narrow stripe of sheet lead. This, when 

 placed lengthwise in water, presents an upright posi- 

 tion, sinking to within a short distance of its top. Near 

 the extremities of this board are several holes, to which 

 is attached a cross band or string of cord, as to a paper 

 kite. In fact, the whole affair acts upon the same 

 principle. To this cross band the line is fastened, ge- 

 nerally made of oiled silk, and very strong : along it, at 

 regular intervals, are hung a score or two of fly-hooks 

 of all sizes, also baited minnow tackles, the whole occu- 

 pying about thirty yards. More line is, however, neces- 

 sary, but wound upon a pirn, and held off the ground by 

 a remarkably stout rod. Two individuals are required 

 to bring this engine into action ; one of whom holds 

 the rod, and the other at the distance of the line oc- 

 cupied by the tackle, sets the boafd adrift. The for- 

 mer person, who stands also at the margin to windward, 

 then moves forward. The lath sails out, carrying with 

 it the whole train of flies, until almost at right angles 

 with the fisher. Still he proceeds, kept pace with by 

 this singular apparatus, which it requires some degree 

 of skill to manage. When one fish is hooked, there 

 is no necessity for drawing it ashore immediately. The 

 beauty is to drag in a dozen at a time, although, from 

 durance vile and lengthy, many are taken in a dying 

 and exhausted state; others escape with injured mouths 

 to become thin, sickly, and shy, and of these not a few 

 expire in this condition. Such is angling by means of 

 the lath, a system in practice on the English lakes, and 

 gradually creeping northwards to the extinction of that 



