These remarks are somewhat apart from the subject of this
book, but by way of an aside, they may be found not quite out of place.

Do not be beguiled into keeping late hours, for no one can fish well
next day if he has not had a sufficient amount of sleep. But this is
also an aside; for some men need more sleep than others, and each angler
knows his own necessities best. We only promulgate the broad rule, that
without proper rest no one can be in good trim with hand and eye for a
pastime that needs both in a pre-eminent degree. We speak from
experience in this too; and have sometimes imagined that our right hand
had lost its cunning till we remembered that we had not been properly
rested the night before.

CHAPTER XII.

REMINISCENCES.

Having exhausted, so far as we can imagine, the practical part of our
little treatise, we proceed--in accordance with an idea which we had in
our minds at starting--to give a few personal recollections, and to name
one or two lochs where we have enjoyed good sport, and where it is still
to be had for the trouble of going. Reminiscences are, as a rule, not
specially interesting to the general reader, hence we shall not make
them too lengthy; for we wish, above all things, that our readers shall
close this volume without experiencing a shadow of weariness. One thing,
however, we would like to say to our younger angling friends--Have as
many personal adventures to look back to as you possibly can. The
adventures themselves can be best sought after when the blood flows
fast; for the time will come when the rod and the tackle will perforce
have to be laid aside, and memory will then, unaided, afford you many a
pleasant retrospect, and you will--even companionless--fight your
battles over again. You remember the story of the illustrious Prince
Talleyrand: when a young man acknowledged to him that he could not play
whist, Talleyrand said to him--"Young man, what a sad old age you are
preparing for yourself!" We don't mean to go this length as regards
fishing; but we safely say that a man who lives to old age without
having been a keen angler, has not only deprived himself of great
enjoyments during his active life, but has neglected to lay up a
provision for the time when the memory of them would have made life's
closing seasons sweeter.

Our first acquaintance with LOCH ARD was very pleasant--not, perhaps, so
much from any great expectation of sport, because at that time (many
yea