58 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS. [CHAP. vi. 



for a few moments, as its bearer waited in the expectation that 

 some fish which had been started by his companions would come 

 within reach of his spear, as he stood with it ready poised, and 

 his eager countenance lighted up by his torch as he bent over 

 the water. Then would come loud shouts and a confused hurry- 

 ing to and fro, as some great fish darted amongst the men, and 

 loud and merry peals of laughter when some unlucky fellow 

 darting at a fish in too deep water, missed his balance, and fell 

 headlong into the pool. Every now and then a salmon would 

 be seen hoisted into the air, and quivering on an uplifted spear. 

 The fish, as soon as caught, was carried ashore, where it was 

 knocked on the head and taken charge of by some man older 

 than the rest, who was deputed to this office. Thirty-seven 

 salmon were killed that night ; and I must say that I entered 

 into the fun, unmindful of its not being quite in accordance with 

 my ideas of right and wrong ; and I enjoyed it probably as much 

 as any of the wild lads who were engaged in it. There was not 

 much English talked amongst the party, as they found more ex- 

 pressive words in Gaelic to vent their eagerness and impatience. 

 All was good humour, however ; and though they at first looked 

 on me with some slight suspicion, yet when they saw that I 

 enjoyed their torchlight fishing, and entered fully into the spirit 

 of it, they soon treated me with all consideration and as one of 

 themselves. I happened to know one or two of the men ; and 

 after it was over, and we were drying our drenched clothes in a 

 neighbouring bothy, it occurred to me to think of the river 

 bailiffs and watchers, several of whom I knew were employed on 

 that part of the stream, and I asked where they were, that they 

 did not interfere with the somewhat irregular proceeding in 

 which we had all been engaged. " 'Deed ay, sir, there are no 

 less than twelve baillies and offishers on the water here, but they 

 are mostly douce-like lads, and don't interfere much with us, as 

 we only come once or twice in the season. Besides which, they 

 ken well that if they did they might get a wild ducking amongst 

 us all, and they would na ken us again, as we all come from 

 beyont the braes yonder. Not that we would wish to hurt the 

 puir chiels," continued my informer, as he took off a glass of 

 whisky, " as they would be but doing their duty. They would 

 as lave, however, I am thinking, be taking a quiet dram at Sandy 



