Reminiscences. 67 



cidents in ' Eob Roy.' Attached to a big tree 

 in front of the hotel at Aberfoyle there hangs 

 a coulter, which tradition assigns as the veri- 

 table article which Bailie Nicol Jarvie made 

 red-hot and used as a weapon of offence and 

 defence when he was in a dilemma in what 

 was, at that time, a very inaccessible part of 

 the Highlands. Since then many a Glasgow 

 magistrate has visited the spot the inspection 

 of the line of the noble waterworks undertak- 

 ing which supplies the city being a sufficient 

 excuse for the annual advent of the civic rulers. 

 A railway station (Bucklyvie) is within eight 

 miles of Aberfoyle, and Aberfoyle is within 

 three miles of Loch Ard, and by the time this 

 book is in the hand of the reader there will 

 most likely be a railway station at Aberfoyle 

 itself. Shade of Bailie Mcol Jarvie ! what would 

 you say if you were now to be allowed to haunt 

 the old spot ? to hear a locomotive screech 

 where formerly you thought yourself so far 

 "frae the Sautmarket o' Glesca"? We don't 

 like the idea ourselves, and doubt very much 

 if it will pay. However, it is the fishing alone 

 which concerns us meantime, and we can at once 

 assure our angling friends that the sport is good 



