CHAPTER XXXIV 



THE KINGLASS 



This clear-running little river, which rises some two thousand two 

 hundred feet above sea-level in the corrie at the foot of Ben Aighean 

 and Ben Glass More — both of them high, stony hills of the Black 

 Mount belonging to Lord Breadalbane — flows entirely through 

 lands that are under deer, and one of the forest lodges, prettily 

 placed on the river bank, is curiously enough built on ground which 

 was once the centre of a lake. It is most strictly preserved, and kept 

 exclusively for the use of the owner or tenant and his guests. The 

 upper part is alwaj-s a rapid, tumbling stream, which wet weather 

 quickly turns into a roaring mountain torrent. About a mile 

 above the lodge there is a sheer faU of some twelve or fourteen feet, 

 and from this to the sea, a distance of seven miles, the river settles 

 down into a somewhat smoother running water, in which there are 

 fuUy twenty-five pools for salmon and sea trout, the best being 

 those of the Rock, Maiden, Ford, Dog's, and the Bridge at Inver- 

 kinglass near the sea, where, about a hundred years ago, there was 

 an iron-smelting furnace and a large pine forest, which by degrees 

 was cut down to supply fuel. 



The river opens on the nth of February, and has the usual 

 close times. No fish ever appear until with the first flood after 

 the middle of June, but from then until the end of September fish 

 run freely whenever there is water, and as the spawTiing beds are 

 good and ample, there is space for a large stock. The first run of 

 sea trout average 3 lb., and from ten to twenty of these fine 

 feUows are at times taken in a da\^ Salmon do not run ■s'ery 

 heavy, their average being 10 lb., while none of over 20 have ever 

 been caught. A light grilse rod or a stout one-handed trout rod 

 wiU easily cover the water, and the same patterns of salmon and 

 sea-trout flies that are best on the Awe are also good here : the worm 

 is freely taken, but very seldom used ; no waders are absolutely 

 necessary, but when the river is right, knee boots are useful to an 

 angler wishing to keep quite dry-shod. 



The Kinglass is fifteen miles across country from Bridge of 

 Orchy, and eleven from the Black Mount Lodge on Loch TuUa ; 

 from Taynuilt it is best reached by water, though there is a wild 

 and rough tramp of five miles along the shores of Loch Etive, but 

 so quickly does the river rise and fall that it is quite possible for 

 it to be in ply',in the morning and hardly worth casting in the after- 



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