ANGLING IN THE IRWELL. 109 



Rochdale up the valley by river instead of by rail to 

 Shawforth, or along others of the numerous tributaries, 

 the artist may find such combinations of river, road, rock, 

 and ruin, with back-grounds of hills and trees, as will give 

 him years of work for his pencil. With such skill as an 

 architect is required to apply in restoring a ruined old 

 cathedral or monastery, he might paint back the views 

 and produce a Lancashire of a century ago, or possibly a 

 century hence, styling the picture " View on the Irwell, 

 1780" or " 1980," according to his fancy. The river and 

 itstributaries are really yet worth exploring, even in search 

 of the picturesque, and many a fall, and turn, and rapid, 

 give such views as only require the conversion of the 

 stream itself to purity to become eminently pleasing. 



This chief defect, the impurity of the water, is, however, 

 now so perceptible, not only to the eye but also to the nose, 

 that it would be advisable for our seekers of pleasure in 

 this district to provide themselves with some of the 

 preparations of carbolic acid, or with some other good 

 antiseptic, before inhaling for any length of time the 

 odours of these tributaries. 



It has not been my fortune to explore the banks of 

 the Dead Sea, but a sad sight it must be if it exceeds in 

 deadness the sight I once had of the Irwell when engaged 

 on professional work. I had to go in a row-boat from 

 Manchester to Runcorn by river, or by "cut" where the 

 navigation is shortened by canals ; all along there was 

 evidence of the direful effects of the polluted condition of 

 the stream. There was scarcely a blade of grass or a 

 bunch of rushes near the river itself; and only such trees 



