256 WHERE TWO KINGDOMS MEET 



Once more the boat glides out at the rope's end, and 

 the fly a gay ' Kate ' with carmine bodice and golden 

 ruff is sent on its mission. ' A yard or two more line, 

 sir/ calls the boatman from the bank. ' He lies pretty 

 far over there.' Hardly is the command obeyed, when 

 a vigorous tug under water preludes another struggle 

 similar in all respects to the first, except that this 

 time the index of the steelyard only touches seventeen 

 pounds. 



I have arrived now at the part of the cast known as 

 'the Kitchen/ where the current slackens and the 

 river widens into a tranquil pool. Several fish are 

 showing there, but, alas ! there is not a breath stirring ; 

 the surface is glassy, and, save a single indolent roll at 

 the lure without effect, not a salmon of them all will 

 take the slightest notice of 'Kate.' So we make up 

 our minds to invade England : the boat is drawn up to 

 the top of the stream and rowed across ; operations are 

 begun from the right bank. By the time the foot of 

 the cast is reached another brace of salmon lie in the 

 boat, twenty and seventeen pounds. A short interval 

 for lunch follows, and we go off to try two other casts 

 in succession; but 'Flummie' a swirling, strong torrent 

 is too heavy to-day ; nothing looks up there. Down, 

 then, half a mile to the ' Three Stanes/ a famous place 

 for big fish. The current is held up here by a ' cauld ' 

 or weir, and rolls sullen and dark under a high cliff 

 on the Scottish shore, gorgeous with the leafy livery 

 of autumn. Oh, for a puff of wind ! It is distressingly 

 calm ; the line falls on the surface like a cart rope. 



