CHAPTER XLII 



THE AILORT, OR AYLORT 



Drains but some twenty-six square miles of hill country, and, 

 after a short run of less than three miles, falls into the salt water 

 loch of the same name at Kinloch Ailort, and opposite the Island 

 of Eigg. It flows from Loch Eilt, a freshwater loch of some four 

 miles in length, divided by narrows into three unequal divisions, 

 the one nearest the sea being twice the size of the other two put 

 together. Shortly after leaving the loch the river expands into 

 another small sheet of water, from whence it has a further run of 

 about two miles to the sea. 



The sea trout angling of the Ailort and Loch Eilt was at one 

 time some of the very best on the West Coast, though of late years 

 it has unaccountably fallen off, for there are no nets on the fore- 

 shore or at the mouth, while the protection is supposed to be efficient. 

 The ravages of the seals are considerable, but that is an evil that 

 has been present from time immemorial, and is not sufficient of 

 itself to account for the falling off ; and probably poachers are in 

 some way at the source of the evil. 



The river is easily cast, and a stout trout rod will do all that is 

 required. Though there are about a dozen pools worthy of being 

 named, only a few are christened, while smaller casts are numerous, 

 many of which, if both proprietors agreed, could easily be improved 

 by means of dams, etc. No waders are wanted ; nearly all the 

 small standard patterns will kill, such as Jock Scot, Thunder and 

 Lightning, and the Doctor. There are a few local flies, which can 

 be obtained from Anderson, of Princes Street, Edinburgh ; but they 

 are not absolutely essential to success. 



The right or north bank belongs to Mrs. Nicholson of Arisaig, 

 and the left or south one to Mrs. Head of Inverailort, and by a 

 happy agreement between the two proprietors there is no netting 

 at the mouth or on the foreshore. 



The shore of the north side of Loch Ailort and the tidal water 

 of the south side of the river belong exclusively to the Inverailort 

 property ; therefore, as the bulk of the fish wishing to enter the 

 river keep almost entirely to this shore, which is shallow, shelving, 

 and more suitable to their requirements than that of Arisaig, the 

 owner of Inverailort has for the last forty years agreed not to 

 exercise the netting right, but to take rod fishing from Arisaig in 

 exchange. This agreement has still some years to run, and it is 



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