262 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING 



for he war killed by drinking the kail made o' a 

 breme sow, yet his spirit is abraid, ye ken, and it 

 war that which sent our boat to the bottom, for ye 

 had na a fairy stane ;* but ye'll be wiser, I'm 

 thinkin, afore ye burn that cast again." 



" Aye, that will I ; but courage, man ; all is set 

 to rights, so let us have the whiskey, for*with that 

 and the blazing brands we shall be warm both 

 within and without, and fear no wizards. But if 

 wizards ever visit rivers, I hope they will open a 

 slap in every cauld where there is no local act, so 

 as to admit of the free run of fish ; for there are many 

 fine-looking streams that are ' bridled with a curb 

 of stone.' I do not wish to hurt the property of mill- 

 owners ; but how easy it would be in such cases to 

 accommodate all parties by making an opening at 

 every barrier, and a proper slope constructed with 

 rolling stones at the back of it ; a hatch to be put in 

 at the opening, and drawn only when there was a 

 superfluity of water for the mill. This plan would 

 answer perfectly ; for in very low water fish do not 

 travel, and in a very high one, when they do, the 

 miller would suffer no loss." 



" Well, I wad na say but ye are perfectly right, 

 and I am thinking that a river, like a road, should 

 be open for all passengers." 



Most of the dead salmon having been at length 

 forked out of the river, we all got afloat again, and 

 passed down those rapids above Melrose Bridge, 

 called " the Quarry Stream," "Back Brae," and 

 " Kingswell Lees," snatching out a fish occasionally 



* See note at page 237. 



