Water-Bailiff

A Scottish water bailiff was sworn to tell of all he saw; and indeed, as he said, it could not be expected that he should tell of what he did not see. When his dinner was served up during evening time his wife usually brought to the table a platter of potatoes and a napkin; she then bound the latter over his eyes so that nothing might offend his sight.

This being done, the illegal salmon was brought in smoking hot, and he fell to, blind-folded as he was, like a conscientious water bailiff, if you know what that is; nor was the napkin taken from his eyes till the fins and bones were removed from the room, and every visible evidence of a salmon having been there had completely vanished: thus he saw no illegal act committed, and went to give in his annual report with his idea of a clear conscience.

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