224 ANGLING REMINISCENCES. 



" Self-pleased, a graceful birch 

 Nods to its image in the glassy pool." 



To eye Findhorn to advantage, one must adopt 

 the angler's method of river-coursing. Its channel 

 he must convert into his highway, and plunge un- 

 hesitatingly through such fords as promise to lead 

 him toward the best view -stances and juts of observe. 

 Your knapsack-tourists will gain nothing by con- 

 fining themselves to the pinnacles and embankments; 

 they must e'en descend to the water's surface, and 

 look for an eye-feast upwards, not, as is their use, 

 over and across. 



As an angling water, we found Findhorn at certain 

 points incomparable. The period, however, of our 

 visit was such that it required little or no skill to 

 take fish. Five, eleven, and nine salmon, were the 

 several results of our operations during the three 

 days preceding the 15th, when the waters, to our 

 great disappointment, became shut up, and we were 

 forced to adopt our route southward, without test- 

 ing, as we originally intended, the primest of sal- 

 mon-rivers, Spey. 



May. A mighty mortification, indeed, Master 

 Wandle-weir, after the havoc committed by you 

 and Herl-broke ! 'Twere time, methiriks, to put 

 the pannier aside with good will, instead of lusting 

 afresh, against law and reason. 



Swivel. The soul of an angler hath gone out of 

 thee, Bill. 



May. Not so, but its cravings, Doctor, are time- 



