FEBRUARY 63 



ganglia tingle ; but immediately there follows a figure- 

 of-eight movement, unmistakable token of the unclean. 

 Hope is restored for a moment by a spirited dash up 

 stream, but that ends by the fish showing on the sur- 

 face and revealing the white body and dark fins which 

 distinguish the unwelcome kelt. Lose no time over 

 him; get hold of the line, James (fancy this heir of 

 Vikings answering to commonplace 'James!' he ought 

 to be Magnus or Olaf), and draw the beast ashore. Ah ! 

 see how he has chewed up the ' Mar Lodge ' ; serve me 

 right for displaying fancy articles at 3s. 6d. each when 

 kelts are about. 



Operations are resumed with a fly of tougher materials, 

 fully three inches long, with a body of indestructible 

 pig's wool, dyed, like the Northumbrian miner's hand- 

 kerchief 'Nane o' yer gaudy collors; just gie me plain 

 reed and yalley ! ' and lapped with stout silver twist 

 instead of tinsel. Kelts are on the job to-day, and keep 

 one's nerves alert ; but never a ' sea-fish ' makes a sign 

 till the light is beginning to fail. It is at Hell Pool 

 famed for holding fish, but of indifferent repute as a 

 good place for raising them, by reason of its great 

 depth that we meet him. The river here, rushing 

 full against an opposing crag, wheels with mighty 

 tumult to the right. It is a bad place to fish, for 

 the wind (it is always blowing in Caithness) flies in 

 violent gusts now here, now there now behind, now 

 before. Far out of reach, just where there are a few 

 square yards of quiet water at the tail of the pool, a 

 fish, unmistakably clean, makes a head-and-tail rise. 



