Self-Respect

Rob was a favourite with anglers of all classes, with peer and peasant alike ; and preserved his self-respect, and asserted his independent and original character, under all circumstances. It is related that the Earl of Home, who was probably the best salmon-fisher of his day, was on one occasion angling from Rob’s boat on the upper part of the Makerstoun Water; and, as the day was favourable, he hooked and landed several fish in succession.

As each salmon was knocked on the head, his lordship refreshed himself from his silver flask with much self-congratulation, and returned it to his pocket without offering it to the venerable fisherman. Rob gloomily bore this unwonted treatment for some time; but at last seeing no prospect of amendment, he deliberately pulled the host to the shore, put up the oars, padlocked them, and walked off in the direction of his hut. The Earl, amazed, called to him to come back, as his day’s sport was not nearly over; but Rob replied:

” No, no ; them that drink by themselves can fish by themselves.” and he left the Earl to digest his mortification as best he might.

Return To More Scottish Anecdotes