26 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



and in these the Durness Hotel visitors spin the natural sand eel 

 with great sureness. On the 4th of July 1898, Mr. and Mrs. Trickett 

 got in this way in one day forty sea trout weighing 92-^ lb. ; and on 

 the 28th of June another twenty-two weighing 62 lb. — the largest 6J 

 lb., the smallest i|. Close to the hotel is also Loch Craspul, which 

 at one period has evidently been connected with the sea, and in it 

 there are fish which are doubtlessly land-locked sea trout, bright 

 silvery fellows, very shy and tender in the mouth, and only to be 

 deceived by the finest tackle and very small flies. 



In 1902 this river, with those of the PoUa, Strathy, and Armadale, 

 were purchased from the Duke of Sutherland by ilr. WilUam 

 Ewing Gilmour of Rosehall and Alexandria, Dumbartonshire. 

 The angling remains much as it was when described in 1900, and 

 as long as the coast nets of the district are worked up to 26th 

 August there is not likely to be any improvement, as from 10,000 

 to 5000 grilse are caught each season. 



