FISHING EIVERS. 145 



The people are mostly in humble circumstances 

 of life, living by the cultivation of the vine. 

 The valley of the Ahr being far-famed for the 

 rich Ahrweiler wine, which place lies farther 

 down, towards the Rhine. I wished much to 

 try this stream, having brought reels and flies, 

 but no rod, never doubting, that in a place like 

 Bonn, I could easily procure one. In this I was 

 woefully disappointed. All I could find was a 

 very sorry one, at a perfumer's ; it might have 

 been said to resemble Aaron's rod (though only 

 a walking-stick), for it had swallowed up all the 

 others of its kind in the place ; so, after a deal of 

 tying and fixing, I succeeded in putting it to- 

 gether ; but, at almost every throw, it went out 

 at the ferrules, which were only made to hold 

 together after the wood swelled by moisture. I 

 found lots of grayling, and the river did not 

 run heavier than the Gala, at Stow. They took 

 the fly freely ; but I never liked this fish, they 

 bleed so at the mouth when hooked. Seeing there 

 were trout, I began next day, and was surprised 

 when I took two or three smolts. I soon, there- 

 fore, had partail ; and I killed, in the rapid places, 

 trouts of 3 Ibs., and also other kinds of fish. We 

 were much amused at seeing some of. the villagers 



