72 FISHING ON THE 



FISHING ON THE SALT-WATER LOCHS. 



THE sea loch has a character peculiarly its own no 

 wooded islands, no green or pebbly margin, like its in- 

 land sister, except perhaps for a short time at full-tide; 

 and the dark mountain more often rises abruptly from 

 its side in craggy and bold relief. It is a novel sight for 

 the traveller, whom the refreshing evening breeze has 

 tempted out of the neighbouring inn, at the landlord's re- 

 commendation, to try his fishing luck with such a clumsy 

 rod and tackle as he had never dreamt of before. The awk- 

 ward-looking herring " skows," well-matched with their 

 black or red sails, scudding in all directions ; the nasal 

 twang of the Gaelic, as they pass the bow or stern of his 

 boat, shooting their nets ; the hardy, weatherbeaten face 

 of the Highlander, always civil in his reply, and courteous 

 in pointing out the most likely ground to the " stranger" 

 reiterating his injunctions (when his stock of English 

 extends no further) " to keep on the broo" yet plainly 

 showing that he expects the like courtesy in return, and 

 that the least slip on your part would immediately make 

 him change his tone, all this can hardly fail to im- 

 press on the mind of the imaginative, that the spirit of 



