103 



its course. The traveller winds round one 

 mountain after another, and traverses one 

 desolate tract of moor-land after another, which 

 produce in the mind a feeling of loneliness, 

 solemnity, and awe. The river seems like a 

 delicate silver thread, making its way to the 

 eastward through masses of ahrupt rocks, 

 variegated with fragments and ruins, which 

 appear ready to fall on his head, and crush 

 him to pieces. 



From Bishop - Auckland to its source, the 

 Wear receives the following feeders : Lyn Burn, 

 Red Burn, Wascrop Burn, the Shittlehope, the 

 Stanhope, Horsley Burn, the Westhope, the 

 Swinhope, the Middlehope, and the Bookhope. 

 In all these smaller waters, there is good fishing 

 after summer rains ; and we have known eight 

 and ten dozen of fine trout caught in them, in a 

 very few hours. They generally, however, run 

 small, and their quality is by no means first-rate. 

 When the waters are pretty full, and of a deep 

 ale-colour, the minnow proves very successful. 



The Wear itself is the chief place for fly- 

 fishing. All kinds of colours are here used hy 

 the craft. The wind, and the state of the waters, 

 must guide the sportsman to fix his choice. 



From Bishop-Auckland to Durham, the river 

 increases considerably in size ; and the trout, if 



