of the Fishery Board for Scotland, 



33 



on the 5th September 1887, two visitors caught 194 \ lbs. of coal fish, 

 cod, lythe, &c; on the 6th, 182 lbs.; and on the 7th, 452 lbs. On the 

 16th of the same month two gentlemen captured 2 26 J lbs., and on the 

 17th, 515 lbs.; while, on the last-named day, one gentleman caught 28 

 coal fish, weighing 377 lbs.; and on the 24th, a lady staying at the inn, 

 took 3 coal fish weighing 51 lbs. 



Estuary of the Kirkaig. — From Lochinver, I went to inspect the estuary 

 of the River Kirkaig at the special request of Mr M'lver, the experienced 

 factor at Scourie. At present, as defined by the Bye-law, which took 

 effect from 11th March 1865, it is 4 a straight line drawn from Weather 

 ' Lump on the North Shore, through Big Rock to the South Shore.' Mr 

 M'lver thinks these limits too narrow, and wishes to have them extended, 

 which, however, could only be done in the event of the clause in the pro- 

 posed Salmon Fisheries Consolidation Bill giving the Secretary for Scot- 

 land power to alter and amend estuaries, becoming law. 



On the 23d July last Mr M'lver wrote me from Scourie as follows on 

 the subject : — 



Dear Mr Young, — I was anxious to enlarge the estuary of the Kirkaig River, 

 and applied to have this done, but was refused a few years ago. When you are at 

 Loch Inver, I wish you would take a look at it. At present it matters very little, 

 for there are no bag-nets set near it either on the Assynt or on the Coigeach side 

 of the estuary, but this may not be long the case, and if you can help me I am 

 very desirous to get it extended. There is very little spawning ground on the 

 Kirkaig, and on that point I wish to give it every advantage. My wish was to 

 have the estuary extended to Rhu-Kirkaig on the north, and Rhu-na-briag on 

 the south. The estuary is within these points, and I think too near the mouth 

 of the river. 



I may say, that after a careful inspection of the locality, I am entirely 

 of Mr M'lver's opinion and think that a line from Rhu-Kirkaig on the 

 north to Rhu-na-briag on the south is the natural and appropriate estuary, 

 but as I have already stated, there is no power to alter or amend estuaries, 

 as the law at present stands. 



When I inspected the Kirkaig it was at its lowest. I should say almost 

 2 feet lower than I had ever before seen it; and there had been no 

 successful angling either in it or in the Inver, which has also been 

 injuriously affected by the prevailing drought. There is not much good 

 spawning ground on the Kirkaig, a great proportion of its bed between 

 the sea and the falls being rocky. It has, however, many beautiful 

 streams and pools and it occasionally affords good angling. One of the. 

 most experienced ghillies at Lochinver told me that he attended a gentle- 

 man one year, who in 11 days captured 24 salmon weighing 241 lbs.; 

 and he also stated that 100 fish have been taken out of it in a single 

 season. 



After leaving Lochinver, I proceeded to Ullapool by the beautiful road 

 that passes Loch Skinaskink ; skirts the foot of the singular serrated 

 mountain called Stack Polly and the margin of Lochs Baddagyle and 

 Lurgan ; and nearer Ullapool, commands splendid views of the precipices 

 of Ben More Coigeach, rising like a wall from the sea. 



About 8 miles from Lochinver, there is a hill whose summit is a 

 couple of hundred feet above the road, from which there is one of the 

 finest views on this part of the West Coast. You look out upon the wide 

 islanded expanse of Loch Skinaskink with its many peninsulas and wind- 

 ing bays, and on the ring of magnificent mountains that surround it, 

 including Stack Polly, Coulbeg. Coulmore, and Suilvean. 



Falls of the Polly. — The little river Polly which flows into Loch Polly, 

 a branch of the spacious Bay of Enard, is the outlet of Loch Skinaskink 



3 



