CORRACH-BAH; OR, A PLEA FOR THE WASTES. 235 



Johnny carried my trolling-rods ; Sandy a " cogue-f u' " 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, being only wing-broken, ran into the water with so 

 light and graceful a step, that it seemed as if walking on 

 glass. The rods were soon baited, the evening was perfect 

 for fishing, and the feroxes took well. We came over no large 

 ones, however, and the three brought into the boat were only 

 four, three, and two and a half pounds. We had intended to 

 troll to the bay of old Castle Connal, eight miles down the 

 loch, built, as Sandy says, by the Danes, but were obliged to 

 defer it till next day, The bay which this castle commands 

 is a famous resort of the largest size of the ferox. When we 

 fish it, Sandy always tells a story of one of the Lochiels, who 

 had been taken captive by a hostile clan, and confined there. 

 His jailor had an annuity during his lifetime. The Camerons, 

 however, found out where he was concealed, and came down 

 in a body. As soon as the wretch saw them, he stabbed him 

 with his penknife, having no other weapon at hand, expecting 

 a reward for his atrocity which, no doubt, he received. 



Night overtook us before we could gain the harbour of 

 Cladich, alias the Burn-foot, which is the only safe anchorage 

 in case of a storm. And, indeed, it is very difficult to bring 

 up a boat anywhere else, the coast being so shallow. The 

 entrance to this burn is so intricate, that a man rowing in 

 and out every day may be completely puzzled after dark. 

 " Johnny," by some hieroglyphic shadowy marks of the trees 

 upon the water, known only to himself, at last piloted us 

 safely through, and was " Jock, my man," till we got to the 

 inn. 



The old dun eight-day clock had just " chapped " seven, 

 when my gallant crew cleared out of harbour, and, with my 



