ANGLING REMINISCENCES. 191 



dawn, when we set forth, for now it was calm, 

 beautiful, and serene. There were an handful or two 

 of clouds up amid the azure of heaven, indolently 

 basking in the retiring sun-rays. Spiritual existences 

 were they not, draperied with ether, curious of the 

 evolutions of spheres or the abodes of humanity? 

 At the meadow-foot waded a heron, with his long 

 skeleton-legs half immersed in the ford ; but now, 

 spreading his huge, broad wings, away he sailed, 

 homeward to his distant nest. We were wet, tired, 

 and hungry, willing to bid our brief adieu to the 

 river margin. Our tackle was soon overhauled, 

 and the contents of our creels emptied out, side by 

 side, upon the mossy sward. 



I know not of a more generous feast for the eye 

 than a display of this nature ! It is worth a peep 

 at the regalia of an Eastern Khan. Here the very 

 confusion is the finest order. Were we to arrange 

 the fish in rows or pairs, according to their sizes, 

 how stiff and stall-like they would appear; but 

 tumble them over carelessly upon the grass, and 

 they will assume attitudes of the greatest beauty. 

 No ordinary take of trout had we on that occasion ; 

 in all seven and twenty dozen ; a couple of two and 

 nine one-pounders, fifty and more half the latter 

 size, and the rest smaller but not despicable fish. 



Such was a memorable day's doings in company 

 with my late friend, the Ettrick Shepherd. Many 

 others have I spent of a similar sort, and none, can 

 I well recollect, which failed to exhibit feats on his 



