66 Wild sports of the highlands CHAt. 



not opportunities of proving many points, I will leave the whole 

 subject in the abler hands of those who have already written 

 on it, and whose accounts, though they may err here and there, 

 are probably in the main correct. As long as the salmon are 

 in the river water they seem to lose condition, and become 

 lean and dark coloured. By the time that they have ascended 

 to within a dozen miles or so of the source of the river they 

 are scarcely fit to eat. Nevertheless vast numbers are killed 

 by poachers and shepherds in the autumn, even after the legal 

 season is over. I once fell in with a band of Highlanders, 

 who were employed busily In the amusing but illegal pursuit 

 of spearing salmon by torchlight. And a most exciting and 

 interesting proceeding it was. The night was calm and dark. 

 The steep and broken rocks were illuminated in the most 

 brilliant manner by fifteen or sixteen torches, which were 

 carried by as many active Highlanders, and glanced merrily 

 on the water, throwing tlie most fantastic light and shade on 

 all around as they moved about. Sometimes one of them 

 would remain motionless for a few moments, as its bearer 

 waited in the expectation that some fish which had been 

 started by his companions would come within reach of his 

 spear, as he stood with it ready poised, and his eager counten- 

 ance lighted up by his torch as he bent over the water. Then 

 would come loud shouts and a confused hurrying to and fro, as 

 some great fish darted amongst the men, and loud and merry 

 peals of laughter when some unlucky fellow darting at a fish 

 in too deep water, missed his balance, and fell headlong into 

 the pool. Every now and then a salmon would be seen 

 hoisted into the air, and quivering on an uplifted spear. The 

 fish, as soon as caught, was carried ashore, where it was knocked 

 on the head and taken charge of by some man older than the 

 rest, who was deputed to this office. Thirty-seven salmon were 

 killed that night ; and I must say that I entered into the fun, 

 unmindful of its not being quite in accordance with my ideas 

 of right and wrong ; and I enjoyed it probably as much as 

 any of the wild lads who were engaged in it. There was not 

 much English talked amongst the party, as they found more 

 expressive words in Gaelic to vent their eagerness and im- 

 patience. All was good humour, however ; and though they 

 at first looked on me with some slight suspicion, yet when they 

 saw that I enjoyed their torchlight fishing, and entered fully 



