94 PRINCIPAL FISHING STATIONS. 



cades in every direction, within three or four miles 

 of this place, is so great, that it is difficult, and, 

 perhaps, unnecessary, to visit them all. Neath, 

 Melte, Tragath, and Purthin, have each of them 

 one, besides the remarkable cavern through which 

 the Melte runs, and Hepste has five, not to men- 

 tion the three on the Glamorganshire rivers that 

 join the Neath between Pont Neath Vechan and 

 the sea. Those on the Tragath, Hepste, and 

 Melte, comprise the boldest and most character- 

 istic features ; forming a portion of as sublime and 

 romantic a scene as can well be conceived in this 

 or any other country ; indeed, this vale, extending 

 from the town of Neath to beyond Pont Neath 

 Vechan, comprises one of the finest scenes in 

 South Wales. Notwithstanding, that it is thus, 

 as it were, environed by the finest and most pro- 

 ductive rivers, and situated among scenes of such un- 

 rivalled beauty, this calm, placid retreat is almost 

 unknown to anglers. In our frequent visits, we never 

 saw or heard of any one engaged in pursuits similar 

 to our own. About ten years ago, however, a very 

 worthy " brother of the angle" (no fly-fisher, by 

 the by) stumbled upon this oasis in the desert, and 

 found ample employment for about five weeks, in 

 attending to his four rods, laid down together ; the 

 fish (trout and sewin) taking as fast as he could 

 rebait the hooks. He used brandlings, caddis, and 

 gentles. It was in the month of July, and there 

 had been much previous rain. The greatest weight 

 of fish taken in any one day, was thirty-five pounds. 



