io6 ANGLERS' EVENINGS. 



and the bridge was one well worth seeing either from 

 below or above, from the west bank or from the east, the 

 west bank of the river giving us a different class of 

 prospect from that seen on the east. Broad meadows on 

 the left ; noble trees on both banks ; the Hall (Irwell 

 House when Squire Drinkwater lived) ; and the hill-sides 

 covered with trees. There were no boards about tres- 

 passers to be seen, nor even a notice saying, "This beautiful 

 land on sale for building plots." Here was the broad 

 rock on which we often spent an hour, and tried it on all 

 sides ; in shallow, in deep, in swift, in slow, in sun or in 

 shade, always with patience and hope, and generally not 

 without some finny prize. 



A little higher up the stream we had steep rocks for 

 some distance on both sides, and many favourite pools, 

 runs, and shallows in the stream ; and then we came to the 

 Bolton Canal Aqueduct. Above this, for about half-a- 

 mile, we had again many beautiful views ; not much varied 

 except by the trees, the river course being very straight ; 

 but at the half mile, on the western bank, there came a 

 very fitful stream from a tunnel through a steep rock, 

 with a descent of some three or four feet to the river. In 

 the eddies of this stream, and at its margin, we spent 

 many hours and caught many fish. It was a sort of 

 Rubicon, seldom passed, though sometimes we stretched 

 our courage to go to the famous Ringley Weir. The 

 tunnel was a wonder. Where did the water come from ^ 

 Why did it not always come .'' These, and many similar 

 questions puzzled us. One day, two of us had worked 

 our way from the first rapid at Agecroft to this place. 



