go THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



when the river is so swollen as to force the fish from the natural 

 lie on the opposite side into the easy water running quite close to 

 the Inverawe bank. When the water is at a normal height, the 

 fish he to the Innistrynich side, which is then an excellent cast. 

 In this state of the river there is a spit of gravel running out from 

 the Inverawe side, from which with wading stockings a better 

 command of the pool may be had, care being taken to keep on the 

 top of the gravel, as the sides run from the tread. 



Charlie M'Donel, the Inverawe keeper, has been on the property 

 for many years, and tells me that when he first came to it the river 

 used to fish very well in April. His methods are somewhat primitive, 

 for he uses neither gaff nor net, but kills his fish with one sledge- 

 hammer blow of his very big fist. 



One day, when chatting with him at lunch time, he told me 

 how he made a curious capture of a grouse and a peregrine. He 

 was sitting watching his ground for vermin, with his back to a big 

 stone somewhat higher than his head, when a grouse dashed just 

 over his cap and buried itself in the heather at his feet ; the next 

 second this was followed by the falcon in pursuit. M'Donel's big 

 hand feU on both — the robber's neck was twisted, and the grouse 

 released unhurt. 



A little above the top of this Brander Pool it was the good 

 fortune of the late Mr. Muir, of Innistrynich, to hook with a fly 

 and eventually kiU a salmo ferox of 39^ lb. — the heaviest I have 

 been able to hear of. 



No. 2. The Disputed Pool comes immediately below, and is 

 so called because Lord Breadalbane and Mrs. Campbell of Inver- 

 awe each claim it and fish it, as the burn which divides the two 

 properties is continually shifting its course. This is not a very 

 productive pool or an easy one to fish, especially in a high wind, 

 as it requires casting straight across, and the rod point turned up 

 stream as the fly alights. It is perhaps the smoothest bit of 

 fast-running water on the river, as there are but few big boulders. 

 If, however, a flsh does rise, the whole performance can be seen 

 clearly. 



In the middle of the stream, and about half-way down, there 

 is a very large stone, behind which there is nearly always a fish. 

 In June 1890, Mr. G. W. Hartley, who rents the Innistrynich 

 bank, here hooked a splendid fellow of 40 lb., which he eventually 

 landed somewhere about the Seal Pool. The fish that are hooked 

 in the Disputed usually come ashore without any desperate resist- 

 ance, contenting themselves by sailing round and round the pool, 

 and hardly running out thirty yards of line. If, however, it should 

 make a bolt down stream, it is a case of real hard work for the angler, 

 with the odds greatly in favour of the fish. 



No. 3. The Shallows are but a little distance below, require a 

 fairly high water, and are fished from two sets of planks — worth 

 casting, but not a very sure find in the spring, though late in the 

 autumn they always hold a good lew fish, and then the worm is 



