BRITISH SPORT PAST AND PRESENT 



Loch of Monteith in Scotland, which abounds with very large 

 Perch and Pike. Upon the islands a number of Geese were 

 collected by the Farmers who occupied the surrounding banks 

 of the loch ; after baited lines of two or three feet long had been 

 tied to the legs of their geese they were driven into the water ; 

 steering naturally homewards in different directions, the baits 

 were soon swallowed : a violent and often tedious struggle 

 ensued in which, however, the geese at length prevailed, though 

 they were frequently much exhausted before they reached the 

 shore. This method has not been so long relinquished, but 

 there are old persons upon the spot who were active promoters 

 of the amusement.' 



Trimmers, beloved of Colonel Thornton as ' Foxhounds,' 

 were much in use for pike ; but that ardent sportsman, assidu- 

 ous as he was in the use of these contrivances, enjoyed a fair 

 struggle with a big fish. This is his account of the killing of 

 the great pike in Loch Alvie : — 



' On the second trip, I saw a very large fish come at me, 

 and, collecting my line, I felt I had him fairly hooked ; but 

 I feared he had run himself tight round some root, his weight 

 seemed so dead ; we rowed up, therefore, to the spot, when he 

 soon convinced me he was at liberty, by running me so far 

 into the lake, that I had not one inch of line more to give him. 

 The servants, foreseeing the consequences of my situation, 

 rowed, with great expedition, towards the fish, which now 

 rose about seventy yards from us, an absolute wonder ! I 

 relied on my tackle, which I knew was in every respect excellent, 

 as I had, in consequence of the large pike killed the day before, 

 put on hooks and gimp, adjusted with great care ; a precaution 

 which would have been thought superfluous in London, as it 

 certainly was for most lakes, though here, barely equal to my 

 fish. After playing him for some time, I gave the rod to 

 Captain Waller, that he might have the honour of landing him ; 

 for I thought him quite exhausted, when, to our surprise, we 

 were again constrained to follow the monster nearly across 

 this great lake, having the wind too much against us. The 



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