2.32 HINTS ON ANGLING. 



with many inestimable manuscripts the college the col- 

 lection of paintings the museum of natural history and 

 the botanical garden, will amply repay the time and atten- 

 tion which the rambler may have it in his power to 

 bestow upon them. 



The beautiful Cher takes its rise at a village called 

 Belle-garde, in the department of Creuse, and at no very 

 great distance, say fifteen or twenty miles, from the finest 

 fishing waters of the river Allier, in the direction of 

 Clermont. The distance which the Cher traverses cannot 

 be less, taking all its circuitous windings into the account, 

 than one hundred and fifty miles. It is altogether a 

 noble fishing river; and the trout are rich and of good 

 size. In some parts of this stream the French fish with 

 flies of the drollest imaginable description. They are 

 made to imitate almost every conceivable insect; cock- 

 roaches, beetles, large moths, butterflies, and several sorts 

 of bugs, help to swell the ludicrous catalogue; and yet 

 the fishermen who use these preposterous baits, declare 

 that they are very successful at particular seasons of the 

 year. The English angler would sooner renounce his 

 craft than resort to such miserable and clumsy con- 

 trivances. 



A little below Montlucon in the department of the 

 Allier, the Cher receives the contents of the river CEil, 

 which runs a course of nearly fifteen miles, and is well 

 stocked with trout. Below St. Amand, there is good 

 fishing in the Cher; and the surrounding country is very 

 picturesque and beautiful. The little river, Marmande, 

 which runs into the Cher at St. Amand, is also well 

 supplied with trout; but they run rather small, and are 

 not of very fine quality. 



At the neat old town of Vierzonville, the Cher receives 



