THE FINDHORN AND THE NAIRN 243 



pared to the other great river, but of much higher 

 merit, as it was my fortune to prove. Substituting 

 a fifteen-foot grilse rod for the larger one I had been 

 using, I mounted a small Dandy, and began where 

 a swift clear stream ran swiftly between steep banks 

 protected by a chevaux-de-frise of cut brushwood and 

 tree-stems. Ah ! that fatal brushwood : a bright 

 little fish about eight pounds weight, dashed at the 

 Dandy in mid-stream, and was fast. My gillie still 

 the same Lacon gave no warning; I ought to 

 have seen the danger, and run the salmon down to 

 where the stream broadened out between shingle 

 banks. But instead of that, I held on to him, being 

 unwilling to let him down to disturb fresh water. 

 Many a good fish has owed his liberty to this mis- 

 taken caution. There was, indeed, some excuse for 

 it in this case, because, owing to the diminutive 

 volume of the river, one passing down the high 

 bank would be plainly visible to every creature 

 below. But it cost me my first fish in the Nairn ; 

 he made a dart towards the bank under my feet ; 

 fouled the brushwood; for an agonised moment I 

 beheld his silvery side flashing within easy reach of 

 the gaff, but Lacon was not ready ; the gut parted, 

 and all was over. 



