98 ANGLING SKETCHES 



in it. ' It is reckoned the residence of the water- 

 cow,' a monster like the Austrahan bunyip. There 

 was a water-cow in Scott's loch of Cauldshiels, 

 above Abbotsford. The water-cow has not lately 

 emerged from Alemoor to attack the casual angler. 

 You climb again by gentle slopes till j-ou reach a 

 most desolate table-land. Far beyond it is the 

 round top of Whitecombe, which again looks down 

 on St. Mary's Loch, and up the Moffat, and across 

 the Meggat Water ; but none of these are within 

 the view. Round are pastoruiii loca vasta, lands 

 of Buccleugh and Bellenden, Deloraine, Sinton, 

 Headshaw, and Glack. Deloraine, by the way, is 

 pronounced ' Delorran,' and perhaps is named from 

 Orran, the Celtic saint. On the right lies, not far 

 from the road, a grey sheet of water, and this is 

 Clearburn, where first I met the Doctor. 



The loch, to be plain, is almost unfishable. It 

 is nearly round, and everywhere, except in a small 

 segment on the eastern side, is begirt with reeds 

 of great height. These reeds, again, grow in a 

 peculiarly uncomfortable, quaggy bottom, which 

 rises and falls, or rather which jumps and sinks 



