281 

 THE SCHELDT, 



ETC. 



Rich booty then was ours; and speeding on 



We crossed the bosom of the sluggish Scheldt, 



Just where the Scarpe its constant tribute pours ; 



And skirting quick the right bank of the stream, 



Nor slackened spur nor bridle drew, until 



We reached the suburbs of the wealthy Ghent, 



And in the hands of Vandenbossche the Jew 



Deposited the hard- won spoil. The Landsknechfs Tale. 



l&tbcr ^cijelDt, anfc its tributaries m prance. 



THE river SCHELDT takes its rise not far from the small 

 town of Le Catelet, and is supplied by several small 

 feeders very near its source. From its source down to the 

 fine old town of Cambray, the Scheldt presents very 

 respectable fishing waters; but on the whole the streams 

 of this fine river run dull and sluggish, and are not of 

 that clear and rushing character which suits the taste of 

 a thorough-going fly-fisher. Goldsmith understood it 

 well when he called it the " lazy Scheldt." There are, 

 however, large trout in it; and their quality is excellent. 



Cambray is a very ancient town, having been known 

 to, and indeed occupied by the Romans, during their 

 supremacy in Gaul. The cathedral the churches the 

 library, containing upwards of thirty thousand volumes, 

 witb many very valuable manuscripts and the public 

 buildings generally, are well- worthy the angler's passing 

 notice. He must not forget that the amiable Fenelon 

 was once bishop of Cambray. 



Before the Scheldt arrives at the small town of 

 Bouchain, it receives the contents of the river Sense'e; a 



