YORKSHIRE RIVERS. 131 



ling. The inn at Ayton is called the "Star," landlady, 

 Mrs. Penrose. Scawby Beck, near Scarborough, also con- 

 tains some very fine trout, but it is ruined by excessive 

 fishing, and is also poached unmercifully; I believe, how- 

 ever, that a portion of it above the dam is now preserved ; 

 the landlord of the " Sands " Hotel (near the mouth of the 

 Beck), also preserves a short length for the benefit of 

 anglers staying at his house. Lower down the river, at 

 Malton and Bubwith, the water is deep and navigable, but 

 affords capital sport to the pike or bottom fisher ; near to 

 the first-named place grayling attain a larger size than upon 

 either the Yore or the Wharfe I have heard of them being 

 taken up to 31bs. in weight, while on the latter named 

 streams one scaling l|lbs. is a monster. The river Rye 

 next claims our attention. This beautiful stream rises in 

 Cleveland, and after flowing through Bilsdale passes the 

 ruins of Rivaulx Abbey, the charming scenery by which it 

 is surrounded making it by far the most picturesque of all 

 the Yorkshire monasteries. The river at this point is 

 strictly preserved by Lord Feversham, and to those who 

 have permission, flyfishing is a matter of considerable diffi- 

 culty, owing to the densely wooded nature of the banks. 

 At Helmsley an association has been formed styled the 

 Ryedale Angling Club, on their water trout and grayling 

 are very abundant, as the river is thoroughly watched and 

 preserved; below this point, at Nunnington, the river 

 becomes deeper, and loses its interest to the flyfisher. I 

 may add that the grayling on the Pye sometimes attain 

 a large size, and I have been told of the occasional capture 

 of trout weighing from 4 to 51bs. 



For the size and quality of its trout, however, there is no 

 stream in Yorkshire which can compare with the Beck at 

 Driffield, but the fishing is strictly preserved by a club of 

 thirty members, beside whom no one is allowed to fish. 

 One peculiarity of this stream is that upon it the " Green 



