40 ANGLING REMINISCENCES. 



as if it hadna sense or motion, till we stirred it 

 up wi j a ring o' hard airn, and doon again it darted, 

 amaist on the tap o' the water, its braid tail stickin' 

 oot ahiwt, an' noo and then giein' a sair and wrathfu* 

 wallop ! There's the very spot whare we landed 

 the cratur; an' no easy wark, as ye ken, it was; for 

 1 had lost the handle o' my gaff, and couldna get 

 Jock Anison to strike the huik intil it, as he micht 

 hae dune. We made a famous catch o't that day, 

 forbye what the twa grilses fetched Sax-and-twenty 

 shillings, hard money, atween the pair o ? us ! But 

 what gran' callants are these haudin' up in this direc- 

 tion ? I wish they mayna spoil our water amang 

 them. 



2d Poacher. The deil's in the chaps, wi' their 

 strings o' craw -feathers, and ither sic nonsense ! 

 They're gane clean witless. Hollo you! what gars 

 ye hinder ither folk's sport in siccan a fashion? Is 

 this like respectable gentry, to gang direct up to the 

 very front o' twa honest men, an' commence fricht- 

 ening the fish frae their presence ? Awa wi' ye, 

 gin ye be wise, an' dinna brak the temper o' Wat 

 Waddell. 



Enter LEISTER, OTTER, MAY-FLY, SWIVELTOP, HACKLE, 

 and GAFF, on either side of the river. 



Swivel. Fish rise well, gentlemen crow's feather 

 capital! Strike, Tim! What a huge fellow! a 

 sturgeon ! Ha ! you missed him ; never mind. 

 There again a mere minnikin. Shake him ofF^ 



