THE SOMERSETSHIRE STREAMS 137 



berries were flowering on the banks — wild straw- 

 berries have been found ripe in January here — 

 everywhere ferns were thickening and extending, 

 foxgloves opening their bells. Another deep 

 coombe led me into the mountainous Ouantocks. 

 far below the heather deep beside another trickling 

 stream. In this land the sound of running water 

 is perpetual, the red flat stones are resonant, and 

 the speed of the stream draws forth music like 

 quick fingers on the keys ; the sound of runn"ng 

 water and the pleading voice of the willow-wren 

 are always heard in summer. . . . There is a fly- 

 rod in every house, almost every felt hat has gut 

 and flies wound round it, and every one talks trout." 



The Isle is a tributary of the Parret, which it 

 joins a couple of miles above Kingsbury. It rises 

 at Chard, and, flowing by Ilminster, which The 

 can be made headquarters, receives two ^^^^ 

 or three small tributaries. The Isle is a clear and 

 fast stream, flowing over the lias through rich 

 pasturage and agricultural land, and containing 

 numerous trout running up to about one pound. 

 Fly fishing is general, and the blue uprights and 

 red palmers are recommended as killing flies. 

 Lewis, in his Book of English Rivers, speaking 

 of the source of this stream, says : " It is a remark- 

 able fact that a stream which rises from a spring at 

 the west end of the principal street is easily turned 

 so as to run into the Bristol or the English 

 Channel." 



The Tone, one of the Parret's most important 

 tributaries, rises near Clatworthy, and flows by 

 Wellington, Taunton, Creech St. Michael, The 

 and Athelney near which town it joins Tone 

 the main stream. It receives several brooks 



