352 THE MOOR AND THE LOCH. 



caused a fine flow of the river. Danie and I were of course 

 off betimes for the high water, and the " unchancy " pool sur- 

 rendered a first victim. It was only six pounds, but being 

 body-hooked, made as sporting a run as many a fish triple its 

 weight. Eose another in the " road pool," which declined to 

 move a second time, and then drove to the long free stream 

 below the blind man's house. On remarking to Danie that 

 our line-making machine was absent from his " settle " at the 

 gable of the house, he naively answered, " I see'd him looking 

 oot o' his window." 



The long stream is delightful fishing, pleasant even when 

 one does not see a fish. On this fine angling day I cautiously 

 tried the confined current at its top, and carefully raked the 

 swirling eddies of the opposite bank, but it was not until the 

 broadening waters at its close demanded the full pitch of an 

 angler's powers that a beautiful salmon sprang. When fixed, 

 he rolled round and round on the surface, lashing the water 

 with his tail. After he got down I wondered at the want of 

 energy and pluck in so good a fish, for before ten minutes' 

 play he came sweetly to bank on his broadside. Danie held 

 the gaff, and in his eagerness ran down to the salmon. " Now, 

 take time," quoth I, " and clip him true the first trial." Judge 

 my horror when the urchin seized the instrument in both 

 hands, and came down upon the salmon's body as if he meant 

 to fell an ox ! Of course the fish sweltered into the stream 

 again, and the wonder was that Danie's savage onslaught had 

 not snapped the line. Soon, however, the monster came float- 

 ing in sideways again, when, disarming my ally of his weapon, 

 I gaffed it myself. The monkey came grinning up, without 

 apology or shame, shouting merrily, " I never see'd the like o' 

 that afore." The fish weighed thirteen pounds, and was so 

 quickly overcome from having, in the first struggle, twisted the 

 gut round its gills, and thus drowned itself. 



My last two angling-days of the Lyon having now really 

 come, I determined, by being early at the lowest pool, to make 



