94 TROLLING FOR THE SALMO-FEROX. 



three quarters came round the opposite side, and entered 

 the estuary of the Awe, a fine black deep creek, but I 

 never hooked a large fish in it. To-day we only got a 

 small thing, rather more than a pound. To make up, 

 Sandy was profuse in story. Pointing to the dark threat- 

 ening mountain, with the white streak of the winter drift 

 upon its summit, " It was on the side o' Ben Cruachan here, 

 that the Irish chief, M'Faydon, was beat by Sir William 

 Wallace, and chased into a cave yonder (showing a crag 

 opposite.) Sir William fand him oot, however, an' stuck 

 his head on a spear on the tap o' the craig, by order o' 

 Sir Neil Campbell, Black Knight o' Loch Ow." 



I was pondering over the rock, where the Irish chiefs 

 knowledge-box had, no doubt, afforded a resting-place for 

 the sage owls of the neighbouring dells, when Sandy 

 again called my attention to a brook, fringed with oak 

 copse, which trickled over the heathery brow of Ben 

 Cruachan. From his solemn air, I expected an improve- 

 ment on the Black Knight's cruelty to poor M'Faydon. 

 " Ton's an awfu' place for wild-cats. I heard them 

 answering 'ither wi' sic screighs, ae nicht whan I passed 

 late, I thoucht I wad hae been frichtened oot o' ma 

 joodgment. " " And what did you do, Sandy ? " u I jist 

 falded my arms across ma throat, an' ran past the burn as 

 hard as I could split. Catch me gang past that place 

 again after the gloamin'. " 



There is something very imposing in this outlet of the 

 Awe : the rocks on each side so rugged and steep ; the 

 narrow deep water so dark from their shadow. If you 



