268 A YEAR OF SPORT AND NATURAL HISTORY. 



— killed to his own rod in one day no less than twenty-eight salmon 

 and grilse. 



In addition to the Floorswater, about three miles in length, 

 which includes over twenty fine salmon-casts, the Duke owns the 

 fishing on the right bank of the river for another six miles as far 

 as Carham Burn, which forms the " March " between Scotland 

 and England. Among the many capital casts on this stretch of 

 water there is perhaps the finest salmon pool on all Tweed, 

 " Sprouston Dub." Within twenty miles of the sea, unless the 

 river be very low, the salmon have a clear and easy run through to 

 it, and the angler who is fortunate enough to have the Dub in his 

 day's beat when it is in order, and after the close of the netting 

 season, need go no further — he will have his work cut out. Many 

 is the good day's sport I have enjoyed on this grand salmon-pool 

 in early autumn, when the air was soft and balmy, or in chill October 

 and in bleak November, when the ice particles " crinkled " on the 

 surface of the water, and the frozen drops sparkled on the line and 

 fly, and when the north wind blew. 



One day in especial I recall vividly. It was towards the end of 

 October; there had been a series of floods, but each succeeding 

 so closely upon the other that the river never got into real order ; 

 it was always more or less " drumly," and although I had been 

 killing two or three fish a day, nothing great "eventuated." At 

 last one afternoon " She" showed signs of clearing, and during the 

 last hour's fishing I killed a couple of salmon and rose several others. 

 There were very evident signs of frost, the glass was rising and 

 the water faUing. As we trudged homeward that evening, there- 

 fore, Jimmie and I opined that " the Dub " would fish on the 

 morrow. 



