OCTOBER ON THE STINCHAR. 359 



We divided the water, my son taking the low pools, 

 named the " Duckat Wheel " and the " Bridge Wheel," while 

 the Scaur and Dub-a-nee, the higher ones, fell to my share. 

 As the Scaur was well sheltered from the noontide sun, I 

 was anxious to go over Dub-a-nee, in order to take advan- 

 tage of the clouds floating lightly in the sky, fitfully shad- 

 ing his beams. Unlike my usual custom in autumn, I began 

 with a large hook, orange, yellow, and black body, having a 

 fine mottled, dark turkey wing. About twenty minutes are 

 needed to fish Dub-a-nee properly ; and, after the last cast 

 had been made, of course it disappointed me that no fish had 

 deigned even to notice my lure. 



Sitting down on the bank, I chose out of my fly-book a 

 much smaller hook, composed of a claret and purple body, 

 and red turkey wing. With this enticing fly, all the well- 

 known eddies and sunk rocks were carefully searched, bringing 

 me to the calm water at the foot of the pool. The whole of 

 Dub-a-nee needs a long throw, but its broad shallow requires 

 the full pitch of an expert hand. 



I had cast within a yard of the opposite bank, bringing the 

 fly round to the gravel on the near side, when a splash broke 

 the still water, and the head and shoulders of an enormous fish 

 tightening the line made my heart beat. To shorten my line 

 and get opposite his head was the work of a moment. The 

 salmon, however, seemed quite disposed to give " fair play," for 

 it only leaned its ponderous weight against the single gut, and 

 steered steadily into the stream. My wish now was to coax 

 him up the pool ; for at the foot, only fifty yards from the 

 place where he was hooked, was one of the most dangerous bits 

 of water in the whole fishing beat. Slowly and with much 

 trouble I gained yard after yard of the up-stream until nearly 

 opposite the tree which had so troubled my son. 



Having now a good stretch of clear water below, I ventured 

 to turn his head, but he quickly resented the liberty, by dash- 

 ing down with tremendous speed, requiring all my efforts to 



