THE TWEED 303 



The Ettrick itself is a tributary of considerable importance, with 

 a course of fully thirty miles. Salmon enter it freely, and pass up 

 to Yarrow junction, two miles above Selkirk, the various anglings 

 being strictly preserved. 



The Sunderland Hall section is followed by the Gala or Bold- 

 side water of Mr. John Scott, which extends on both banks 

 down to Gala Foot, and holds just a dozen fine casts, of which 

 Boldside Wheel and Glen Mein are perhaps the best, while the 

 top of this water may be regarded as the commencement of serious 

 angling. 



Then follows the Pavilion stretch, belonging to the Hon. Mrs. 

 Henry, a daughter of the last Lord Somerville ; it is three miles 

 in length, on both banks, and reaches to a mile below Melrose. The 

 angling (usually let with the house and shootings) comprises eighteen 

 good pools, the three best, perhaps, being the Brig End, the Whorles, 

 and Cowie's Hole — 



" Where Tweed majestically flo\\-s 

 'Twixt Abbotsford and fair Melrose," 



as sang that angler bard, the late Hon. and Rev. Robert Liddell. 



Next is the Drygrange water of Mr. T. S. Roberts, usually let 

 each season, and holdmg five nice pools. This is followed by the 

 Old Melrose water, owned on the south side by Sir Henry Fairfax 

 Lucy, which for the last five years shows an average of forty-five 

 fish each season. 



The north bank belongs to Miss Meikleham of Gladsvvood, 

 down to " Cromweil," where Colonel Haig's celebrated Bemersyde 

 water begins, and continues down on this north bank for some 

 distance, in which there are five good casts. It is essentially a 

 high- water angling, and is at present rented by Mr. Joseph 

 Baxendale. The top pool of Cromweil is rather dead water, but 

 good late in the season. . 



The Gateheugh is a rapid shallow flowing over a rocky bed, m 

 which there are a number of holes, each containing fish m autumn ; 

 and though remaining in order barely two days, when there are 

 fish and the size is right, it is as sporting a cast as any on 

 Tweed. From this pool Lord Romney took a 37 lb. fish in 

 November 1899. . 



The Washing House stream is aU too short, but is good when 

 the water is getting on the low side. , ,, . 



The Hally Wheel Throat is a rare holdmg place— never out 

 of a tenant," and a sure cast in high water. -^ - 



The Woodside is a pleasant cast in high water, as it can be 

 commanded without the boat ; but it holds few fish, and a begmner 

 on it will be apt to hook more trees than anything else 



Below this and still on the north bank is the Dryburgh water, 

 let to the Dowager Lady Orr Ewmg. Here there are seventeen 

 pretty casts, and whenever there are plenty of fish m the Tweed, 

 this section always claims its full share. 



