18 CORRACH-BAH j OR, 



solid breakfast. I therefore ordered a mutton-chop, and 

 went to the shore to examine my craft. I had already 

 bespoken the services of old Sandy M'Kenzie, " wha kens 

 whar the big fish lie as weel as ony man on Loch Ow 

 side." Sandy being appointed skipper, begged to be 

 allowed to choose his own crew, which consisted of a stout, 

 good-natured "callant" of about sixteen, yclept u Johnny ," 

 occasionally u Jock," when Sandy was in a patronising 

 mood. Sandy was once a strong bony man, and piqued 

 himself upon being one of the best wrestlers in the country. 

 Now his eye is dim and filmy, much the colour of a boiled 

 onion, and his athletic arm is paralytic and weak as a 

 child's. I might have had far abler men at the oar, and as 

 knowing about the haunts of the fish ; but whenever I troll 

 Loch Awe, none but that poor, ragged, woe-begone old man 

 shall command my boat so long as he is able to do it. 



Having satisfied myself that the "cobbles" were not 

 more leaky than they generally are, I returned to the inn. 

 Monzie's keeper had been there to see my eagle, so I 

 asked his leave to shoot a couple of ring-dotterels which 

 were tippeting on a green bank close to the boats. This 

 he at once civilly agreed to. All was now ready for the 

 evening fishing. Johnny carried my trolling-rods ; Sandy 

 a a cogue-fu'" of live bait, and a little basket of provisions; 

 and I my duck-gun, loaded with No. 6 for the dotterels. 

 Poor little fellows ! They looked so pretty that it was a 

 shame to fire at them. But as I had no specimen in 

 my collection, I could not resist the temptation of 

 stringing both at a shot. One lay, but the other, 



