CHAPTER XXIX 



THE XORTH ESK 



With a drainage area of two hundred and eighty-eight square 

 miles, rises from three streams in Invermark Forest, two of which, 

 the Lee and the Eunich, form Loch Lee, and after flowing from it 

 in a good-sized stream for about a mile, are joined by the Mark, 

 and from thence the water is caUed the Xorth Esk. 



From this junction just below the Manse of Loch Lee to the 

 outfall into the German Ocean, a httle to the north of Montrose, is 

 a distance of thirty miles, in which the main stream is joined by 

 many smaller ones, the chief of them being the Tarf, Turret, and 

 Luther on the left bank ; the Kenny, the West Water, and Cruick 

 on the right one. For its size this river is the most proUfic of all 

 the Scotch streams, and Messrs. Johnston, the ]\Iontrose tacksmen, 

 have had as many as 2000 fish on the opening day in the few miles 

 of water between Mary Kirk and the sea, while in 1874 the catch of 

 the whole district was 30,000 fish, though the usual average will be 

 about 20,000, and, owing to the scarcity of grilse, the last three 

 years have each been below this. 



In 18S2 the river was first seriously visited by disease, when 

 some 700 fish were taken out and buried, and though since then 

 this plague has greatly diminished, there is yet always a certain 

 amount hanging about. In 1895, for instance, 200 fish were re- 

 moved from the river by the watchers, the bulk of which were 

 spawned ones ; while in 1896 about 500 fish were dealt with in a like 

 manner. 



There are three serious mill dams on the river, viz. those of 

 Morphia or Kinnaber, Pert, and Craigo ; the two first-named are 

 easily passable by salmonidce, but in the last-mentioned one the 

 " goil " has been badly placed and badly made, and consequently 

 but lew fish pass up. About four j-ears ago an alteration for the 

 better was effected, and since then a few more fish have ascended, 

 though not in the quantities they should do. 



It should be explained that the word " goil," which is not 

 to be found in any dictionary that I have consulted, means a stone 

 pass from top to bottom, and is entirely distinct from a ladder. 



Mr. James Johnston, of Montrose, teUs me he has a plan dated 

 1768 with the word " goil " in it, and that the term is well known 

 in relation to fish passes, which makes its absence from all diction- 

 aries the more remarkable. 



