of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



28*7 



large takes of salmon and sea-trout in Loch Uladale and Loch Voshimid 

 show that, in spite of the net, a good many of them find their way up. 



The Lacastile Lochs. 



There are three lochs, called the Lacastile Lochs, about 3 miles 

 distant from Tarbert Hotel, from the lowest of which a small stream 

 flows into East Loch Tarbert. In the latter part of summer and in 

 autumn, these lochs are pretty well stocked with salmon and sea-trout, 

 and visitors to Tarbert Hotel have the privilege of fishing in them. 

 There is, however, a waterfall on the stream, which, though by no means 

 a total obstruction, is, to a certain extent, an impediment to the upward 

 progress of the fish. It is a broken fall between 6 and 7 feet in height, 

 but on the left bank, there is a sort of natural salmon-ladder which 

 looks as if attempts had been made to improve it by artificial means. 

 The ascent of salmon would certainly be facilitated by making a sub- 

 sidiary dam a little way down the stream ; removing a sharp block of 

 stone near the foot of the natural salmon-ladder ; deepening the pool 

 just beneath where the run up the broken water commences ; and 

 turning a streamlet of water, which at present dribbles through the rocks, 

 into the channel that leads into the above-mentioned pool. This little 

 river is only a few hundred yards in length between the lowest of the 

 Lacastile Lochs, from which it flows, and East Loch Tarbert into which 

 it falls; yet it has several nice looking pools. But Mr Hornsby, of 

 the Tarbert Hotel, says that fish scarcely ever rise in them, but press 

 right upwards towards the lochs. These lochs are connected with one 

 another by small streams. The loch nearest the sea is the smallest and 

 shallowest, but is the best for salmon ; the middle loch is somewhat 

 larger and deeper ; and the uppermost loch is larger than the two others 

 put together, being quite a mile long. It is also the best for grilse and 

 sea-trout. Its surroundings are singularly picturesque, so that it 

 possesses almost as many attractions for the sketcher as for the fisherman. 

 About 15 years ago, a friend and myself captured in four days fishing, in 

 the month of August, 48 sea-trout — one or two of them 4 lbs. weight — 

 and a couple of grilse in this loch. But I understand that the angling 

 is scarcely so good now as it was then. 



The streams and lochs in South Harris are not so productive as those 

 in North Harris, though some of them yield very fair sport. Two large 

 lochs, called the Obb Lochs, afford the best angling ; and in autumn the 

 sea-trout in them are both numerous and heavy. A stream runs out of 

 Loch Langavat, the largest lake in South Harris, into the head of the 

 Obb Lochs, It is remarkable for the crystal purity of its waters ; pools 6 

 or 8 feet deep appearing scarcely deeper than one's knee. In the Obb 

 Lochs and in this stream I took, some years ago, a number of fine sea- 

 trout, and I understand the fishings, which are strictly preserved, are as 

 good as ever. Salmon are said to rise to the fly in the bay near the mouth 

 of the stream that flows from the Obb Lochs. 



The number of lochs in the Long Island, whose name ends in vat (the 

 ISTorwegian ' vatn,^ water), is remarkable, and is one of the many traces of 

 the Scandinavian rule that once extended over all the Western Islands, 

 from the Butt of Lews to the Isle of Man. In Lews, Harris, and Benbe- 

 cula, there is a Loch Langavat (long water), in each case the largest lake 

 in the island, and besides that we find Ollevat, Steepavat, Grunnavat, &c. 

 The number of names of rivers and lochs too in which the Norwegian 

 ' lax ' (salmon) occurs is noticeable. In the Lews there are the rivers 



