12 ANGLING REMINISCENCES. 



There was Andy Ged-grapple, laird of the Seggy- 

 mere Burn, a short, one-eyed, red-faced man, with 

 brains enough to serve a sleeping philosopher. Two 

 things could Andy accomplish; he could catch pike, 

 and drink whisky-toddy, and further he presumed 

 not to attempt. 



After him, there was Bauldy Brig-stanes of the 

 Chucky-holm, a sensible, kind-natured, old gentle- 

 man, and a keen good angler withal. We ever 

 looked up with great regard to Mr Brig-stanes, and 

 entertain even to this day a strong respect for his 

 memory. Many were the instructions we derived 

 from him as to the management of our line. Alas ! 

 he fell a martyr to his favourite occupation, and was 

 drowned at the age of seventy-one, while attempt- 

 ing, rod in hand, to cross a swollen ford on the 

 Clyde, near Biggar. 



Next to the laird of Chucky-holm, we have a 

 faint recollection of one Watty Braw-breeks, brother 

 to the laird of Buskan'-ben. Watty was a sports- 

 man-general, and member of all associations from the 



fraternity at C h down to the Eat and Badger 



Club in the ancient town of Hawick. He seldom, 

 however, took his seat with the divan over which 

 my grandfather presided ; its proceedings were 

 not altogether congenial to his unsettled taste, and 

 he seemed to prefer an otter or fox hunt, where all 

 was bustle and activity, to the more solitary em- 

 ployments of our craft. However, we have heard 

 it said, that, when the whim was on him, he gene- 



