water was
right plenty of salmon were taken in Teviot, especially at the back
end. I think, though some people of course are never satisfied, that
this great boon was duly appreciated by the inhabitants. You talk to
people by the riverside about the Duke, whose fine mansion crowns the
high ground ending the pretty landscape above bridge, and they
curiously harp upon one string. They say nothing about his Grace's
rank, or wealth, or good looks, or the historical associations of his
ancient house. They simply remark, "Eh! but the Duke's a kind mon."

The Duke walked down to the opposite side once and hailed me in my
boat, said he was glad to give "Red Spinner" a day on his beat, and
chatted for a quarter of an hour, the embodiment of man and sportsman.
The late Duke of Abercorn was just such another nature's nobleman, and
while upon the subject of dukes I may include the Duke of Teck as one
with whom I had many a friendly chat about fishing.

That, with the terrible worming the Tweed gets in these autumnal
floods, the trout fishing should be so good is marvellous. The
plentiful supply of suitable food is one reason why the Tweed has not
long been ruined for this summer sport. The hatch of March Browns in
the early portion of the season is a sight not to be imagined unless
seen. All the summer through insect life abounds, and I have seen in
the middle of October hatches of olive duns that would satisfy even a
Hampshire chalk streamer, while the trout were rising at them
beautifully on every hand. On one of the flood days I strolled up and
down Tweedside, and of the dozen or so of anglers I encountered
pottering about with the worm, the majority had something like a dozen
trout in their baskets. On a day when Teviot was cleared down to
porter colour I met a young gentleman who had been fishing down with
flies (the blue dun and Greenwell were on the cast), and had filled his
basket. There were some fish of three-quarters and half a pound, but
the bulk were smaller. These trout were not in good condition, for
they spawn early in these parts, but they were not so bad as one might
have supposed.

But let us return to our salmon. While you are trying to play your
game of patience like a philosopher, you will naturally make a
superficial acquaintance with such portions of the river as are
accessible to a wayfarer, and if you have not seen it before you will
speedily understand why "she" (on Tweedside you always he