THE RIVER LOIRE. 231 



angler can have but little inducement to practise his art 

 on its expanding waves; we shall, therefore, now direct 

 his attention to several of its more favourable tributaries, 

 which will amply supply the place of the parent river. 

 These tributaries which flow from the side of Normandy, 

 we have already noticed in describing that section of the 

 kingdom ; and therefore we shall confine our present re- 

 marks to the waters on the other side of this magnificent 

 stream. 



Near the town of Blois, situated on the right bank of 

 the river, the Loire receives the waters of the Beuvron, 

 which will, when in good condition, afford the angler 

 some very tolerable sport. A little below Blois, another 

 river discharges itself into the Loire, called the Cosson, 

 which traverses the country for about sixty miles, and 

 abounds with fine pieces of admirable fishing water. 

 This tributary rises a very short distance from the town 

 of Gien, which we have already noticed. The angler 

 who wishes to throw a fly upon its waters, can easily do 

 so when at Gien, and he will find a good road to the very 

 source of the stream. 



The river Cher runs into the Loire at the city of 

 Tours, which is one of the most ancient and venerable 

 towns in France, and fully entitled to the angler's attentive 

 notice, if his time will permit the delay. The Loire at 

 this place, assumes an appearance truly majestic, and pre- 

 sents, with the surrounding scenery, one of the most de- 

 lightful views which the eye of man can rest upon. 



The cathedral, founded in the year 347, by St. Martin, 

 the patron saint of the Ehine, and renewed afterwards 

 by the famous Gregory of Tours the bridge over the 

 Loire, with its wondrous arches the churches the public 

 library, containing more than fifty thousand volumes, 



