CHAPTER LXXIV 



THE TAY, LOCH TAY, THE DOCHART, LOCHAY, LYON. GARRY, 



AND TUJIMEL 



The Tay, the largest of the Scotch rivers, with a catchment basin 

 of two thousand five hundred and ten square miles, only takes its 

 name from where it flows out of Loch Tay, though its sources are 

 fully forty miles distant from Kenmore, at the foot of that loch. 

 It rises from springs an.d small streams welling from the slopes of 

 Ben Lui, on the borders of Argyll and Perthshire. These unite a 

 few miles above Crianlarich to form the Fillan, which flows into 

 Loch Dochart, and issuing from thence as the River Dochart, it 

 has a course of twelve miles and a catchment basin of one hundred 

 and thirty square miles before it finds its way into Loch Tay at 

 Killin. On leaving Loch Dochart, the river becomes a fairly big 

 stream, flowing through a beautiful highland strath — 



" Surrounded m' bent an' wi' heather, 

 Where muircocks and phver are rife," 



while on the right bank high above the river runs the Oban Railway. 



With the exception of a mile below Loch Dochart on the north 

 bank, which belongs to Mr. William Christie of Loch Dochart, the 

 whole river is owned by Lord Breadalbane. His angling on the 

 north bank for the first five miles below Mr. Place's march goes 

 with the Suie shootings, while that of the south side is let to Luib 

 Hotel, and is free to visitors there, who get the run of the fifteen 

 good pools contained in this stretch. The last five miles of both 

 sides of the Dochart go with the Auchlyne shootings. 



Salmon commence to quit Loch Tay to push their way up the 

 Dochart about the end of April, but from June to September is 

 the chief angling time, though naturally the fish caught in the 

 last-named month are then turning colour. 



Sport is uncertain, for this is a spate river, rising and falling 

 with rapidity ; but in wet seasons it usually gives sport any time 

 after June. It must not, however, be lost sight of that just at 

 this period of the year there will often be a whole month of dry 

 weather. As a set-off, the angler on the Dochart will find plenty 

 of trout, which are carefully preserved, all undersized ones having 

 to be returned to the river. Salmon pass up into Loch Dochart, 

 and even into the FiUan beyond, thou.gh of late vears there have 



not been so many seen in the loch as formerly. 



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