81 



longer wonder that in the fabulous spirit of 

 ancient poetry the heathen mythology admitted 

 the semi-deified personification of rivers. 



The river Blyth is situated ahout six miles 

 from the Wansbeck, on the Morpeth and New- 

 castle road. It has the richest trout I ever 

 tasted in my life, hut they are very few in 

 number. It is considered a fair day's sport to 

 obtain three or four. They are generally above 

 the average size, and are more readily taken 

 with minnow than with fly; indeed, the river, 

 for want of streams, and from its still and sedgy 

 nature, is but ill -adapted for this mode of 

 angling. There are numerous and large pike in 

 the river ; and this circumstance, together with 

 the nature of the water, is sufficient to account 

 for the small number of trout found in this 

 stream. 



The Tyne is a noble river; and in former 

 times used to be celebrated for the quantity and 

 quality of its salmon. In some of the incor- 

 porated trades of Newcastle, it was, in the olden 

 time, a condition in the indentures of apprentices 

 that they should not be compelled to eat salmon 

 more than three or four times a week. This 

 shows that these fish must have been very 

 common in those days ; now, however, it is very 

 rare indeed to meet with a salmon in the Tyne. 



