THE TRIBUTARY RIVERS OF THE LOIRE. 225 



Normandy, there are multitudes of rivers which run 

 into the Loire, and which intersect the country in every 

 direction. All these tributaries of the " yellow Loire," 

 are excellent fishing waters, abounding with beautiful 

 trout of large size, and admirable quality. 



The first of these rivers which claims our notice in 

 ascending the Loire, is the Erdre, which flows into the 

 larger river at Nantes, and takes its rise not far from 

 Cande. If the angler begin his operations at Nantes, he 

 will find the town deserving of especial notice. It was 

 one of the first old cities of France. Long before the 

 subjection of the Gauls by the Romans, it was a powerful 

 and populous place. The public library, containing 

 above thirty- thousand volumes, and many very precious 

 manuscripts the cathedral the museum of natural 

 history the collection of paintings are all entitled to 

 the particular attention of the traveller. 



There are steam-boats from Nantes to various places 

 along the whole coast of France. 



Leaving the river Erdre, the angler soon arrives 

 at Angers, where three large rivers, the Oudon, the 

 Mayenne and the Sarthe, in conjunction discharge their 

 contents into the Loire. Each of these rivers has its 

 tributary streams; so that the whole of the country on 

 the north-side of the Loire, from Nantes to Orleans, is 

 intersected by fishing water in every direction. And 

 when we consider that all these three leading arteries, 

 which empty themselves into the noble Loire, are seve- 

 rally more than one hundred miles in length, we may 

 have some faint conception of the vast expanse of admir- 

 able water which this district affords for the skill and 

 gratification of the angler. 



