SPRING FISHING IN LOCH ARD. 243 
Two miles further up is the lovely waterfall of 
Ledeard, of which Scott gives a charming description 
in Waverley : 
“ At a short turning, the path, which had for some furlongs 
lost sight of the brook, suddenly placed Waverley in front of a 
romantic waterfall. It was not so remarkable either for great 
height or quantity of water, as for the beautiful accompaniments 
which made the spot interesting. After a broken cataract of 
about twenty feet, the stream was received in a large natural 
basin filled to the brim with water, which, when the bubbles 
of the fall subsided, was so exquisitely clear, that although it 
was of great depth, the eye could discern each pebble at the 
bottom. Eddying round this reservoir, the brook found its 
way over a broken part of the ledge, and formed a second fall, 
which seemed to seek the very abyss; then, wheeling out 
beneath from among the smooth dark rocks, which it had 
polished for ages, it wandered murmuring down the glen, 
forming the stream up which Waverley had just ascended, 
The borders of this romantic reservoir corresponded in beauty ; 
but it was beauty of a stern and commanding cast, as if in 
the act of expanding into grandeur.” 
It is to some extent unlucky that at the time when 
the fishing in Loch Ard is about its best the scenery 
is pretty nearly at its worst. That region shows but 
little verdure in April—the trees, if not bare, are 
dirty brown, and the mountains do somewhat suggest 
the idea of elephants in the mange. But the season 
has also its compensations—the air is vocal all the 
day with songs of birds, and the heart of man, when 
winter is over and gone, and spring and summer are 
