THE RIVER LOIRE. 235 



is of no consequence to the angler. From Confolens to 

 Chatellerault, the river Vienne affords excellent fishing 

 for all kinds of bait, fly, minnow, or red-worm. It 

 abounds with numerous rippling streams, as well as with 

 large ranges of deeper waters, in which numerous big 

 trout find a secure shelter. Here the angler is deluged 

 with marvellous stories by the native French anglers, 

 about the magnitude of some of these fish, some affirming 

 that trout have been caught hereabouts more than twenty 

 pounds each in weight. 



Chatellerault is situated in a charming country, abound- 

 ing in most delightful prospects. The banks of the river, 

 on the right of which the town is built, will afford the 

 angler some lovely scenery, and compensate him, in 

 some degree, for the deficiency of fish, which here 

 becomes sensibly perceptible, owing to the fact, that the 

 Vienne begins to be navigable at this point, and is there- 

 fore, of course, considerably impaired as a fishing stream. 



The angler, however, will find a satisfactory substitute 

 in the river Clain, which runs into the Vienne, near this 

 place, and which abounds with fine trout. This stream 

 traverses a space of nearly fifty miles, and takes its rise 

 near Confolens, almost within a stone's- throw of the 

 Charente and the Vienne. The Clain passes by 

 Poitiers, a town ever memorable in English history. 

 This was a strong place in the days of Julius Caesar, and 

 at that time bore the name of Limonum. Every thing 

 about this town is interesting to the historian and the 

 antiquary. The cathedral was founded in the year 1152 

 by Henry III., king of England, but was not finished 

 until nearly two centuries afterwards. The other 

 churches are all entitled to particular attention, both for 

 the splendour of their internal decorations, aud the 



