376 THE MOOR AND THE LOCH. 



row over to this mountain brook, and seldom returned without 

 several of those white trout, besides a large basket of yellow. 

 His last take was five sea-trout from 1J to 3 lb., and seven 

 dozen burn ones. He always fished with worm, and chose a 

 day when the burn was quite dwindled. In such small water 

 as this there was no need of a reel, but the gut required to be 

 nearly as fine as horse-hair. As in burn- trout bait-fishing, he 

 always threw up-stream, seldom, however, moving a sea-trout 

 where the burn ones bit freely. These pigmies are obliged to 

 keep their distance from the leviathans that invade them in 

 autumn. Each sea-trout then chooses a pool, and preys easily 

 and greedily in such clear confined water on the burn-trout 

 fry, driving away those too large for food, in order to prevent 

 them from sharing in the worms, slugs, &c., carried down the 

 current. The little burn-trout are therefore compelled by fear, 

 and the bigger ones by force, to desert the quarters of a dan- 

 gerous and selfish usurper. 



In loch-fishing, I have constantly observed that too much 

 wind spoils sport more than too little, always excepting a dead 

 calm. Salmon and white trout, however, will bear a stiffer 

 gale than the yellow, at least if your boatman is expert at the 

 oars, and perfectly knows the fishing-ground. If not, never 

 take him out in a rough day, when you will find it impossible 

 to make him obey your directions. A really efficient boat- 

 man is about as great a comfort as a thoroughly-trained 

 retriever, and both contribute in no slight degree to the day's 

 success. You may very soon teach for a fishing boatman an 

 active and intelligent lad, but his first lessons should always 

 be learned in a calm. 



