152 ANGLING REMINISCENCES. 



the greater part were too nimble for me, and fought 

 themselves off the hook ere I could enforce their 

 submission. Out on them ! they are tender-mouthed, 

 yet strong in the tail and of ample muscle, else had 

 I encreeled a neat score of them. See, the seven 

 I have slaughtered make of themselves an honest 

 heap, and might stand in room of an eight -pound 

 slice of salmon. But where, Doctor, hast thou 

 been ? . I have missed thee from the water's edge 

 these two hours, yet seemingly art thou well-laden 

 with fish, if fish these be on thy shoulders, causing 

 thee such uneasiness. 



Swivel. Ay, that they are! two and three 

 pounders each ! I captured them in a small tarn 

 lying not three hundred yards from where we stand, 



yclept Loch L n. 'Twas signified to me by an 



urchin I chanced to fall in with, immediately after 

 your departure; and although somewhat incredulous 

 of his information, I determined, as it lay at no 

 great distance, to give myself the benefit of a trial. 

 The trout, such as I have taken from it, seem to 

 have been planted there some years ago, and are 

 by no means numerous. In fact, I question much 

 whether they have as yet spawned, notwithstanding 

 the facilities they have of doing so; there being 

 several small water-courses running into various 

 parts of the loch. I have mastered thirteen of them, 

 and, strange to say, these were all I encountered ; 

 but they rose with great truth and avidity, and 

 were mostly hooked in the throat or lower part of 



