332 THE MOOR AND THE LOCH. 



the shore-end of the tree. As I attempted this, he put out 

 all his remaining spirit, and I broke, at the very close of it, 

 the only fish I had raised on that last day. In spring the 

 same year, when leading a clean salmon through a succession 

 of rapids, I was arrested by a set-line, cunningly hung across 

 the river by means of sunk stones. It was some time before 

 I discovered the barrier, which was then easily disposed of. 

 Even without these impediments, the length of time a salmon 

 may baffle the rod-fisher is by no means a certain criterion 

 of its dimensions. Some fish are far more game than others. 

 The water also, or the banks, may so favour them, that a 

 determined plucky little fish may work fiercer, and even 

 longer, than one twice its size. Others, again, have the 

 generalship to avoid " spurts," and, by simply leaning their 

 weight against the rod, to husband their strength. These 

 cool-tempered ones, always wearing and rubbing the line on 

 rocks and stones, are far more dangerous especially to light 

 tackle than they seem. 



One charming spring evening in March, when crossing 

 Coilantogle Bridge, after minnow-trolling Loch Vennachar for 

 trout, the fine trim of Garwhinnie water tempted me to try its 

 best pool for a salmon. The stream of Garwhinnie takes its 

 rise in Loch Vennachar, but soon joins Lennie water, nursed 

 by Loch Lubnaig, when the junction forms the stately river of 

 Teith. The clean spring fish that lie in both these streams, 

 although very scarce, are large in size generally from fifteen 

 to twenty-five pounds. They are chiefly taken by parr-troll- 

 ing. Having tied a couple of salmon-flies for Teith the day 

 before, they were, by mere accident, stowed in my hat ; but I 

 was forced to be content with the small two-handed loch-rod 

 and fine trouting-gut. I had, however, slight expectation that 

 my toy tackling would be put to the proof, and sauntered 

 down Bochastle Heath, more for the pleasure of the evening 

 walk than from hope of a happening fish. 



The common saying, that success comes when least ex- 



