THE WESTERN AND SOUTH-WESTERN COUNTIES. 127 



exceedingly fine, and adds greatly to pleasures which a ramble \yith 

 the rod is fitted to produce. The metropolitan traveller has now a 

 ready access by railway through the heart of this county, so that 

 he can branch off at any section of it to suit his convenience and 

 fancy. 



Monmouthshire has fair claims to the angler's notice. The 

 chief rivers are the Wye, the Monow, the Lug, the Usk, the Trothy^ 

 and the Gavenny. We have alluded to the three first ; the remain- 

 ing three abound with a fair portion of salmon and trout, and are 

 pleasant streams to perambulate. The flies commonly used here, 

 are small, and the tackle must also be fine. 



The Hampshire waters afford an agreeable ramble for the rod- 

 fisher ; both for their trouting qualities, and from their proximity 

 to the metropolis. The chief streams of the county are the Avon, 

 the Anton, the Test, and the Itchin. 



The Avon springs out of moorish land several miles from Salis- 

 1 bury, and flowing past that town, Fordingbridge, and Ringwopd, 

 enters the sea at Christchurch. The rod-fishing in it is of high 

 repute but anglers have of late complained of its waters having 

 suffered considerably from the ravages of the pike. What truth 

 there may be in this, we have no means of ascertaining. 



The Anton takes its origin about ten miles north-east of 

 Andoyer. It is a favourite place for smallish trout, though 

 occasionally, some of considerable weight have been taken out 

 of its waters. 



The Test rises out of the north-western section of the county, 

 and falls into the Southampton water. It is a first-rate river of its 

 class. Whitchiirch, fifty-eight miles from London, is one of the 

 chief fishing stations upon it for London sportsmen, Leave to fish 

 has to be obtained, either from the person who keeps the inn, or 

 from some of the neighbouring gentry. Stockbridge is another 

 place of rendezvous for the anglers of this water. The streams of 

 the Test are remarkably clear, and they require the finest tackle 

 that can be obtained, and the lightest hand in throwing the fly. 

 Unless these matters are religiously attended to, the rod-fisher 

 need not visit the Test. 



The Itchin, in many of its sections, is a good trout stream, but 

 it demands very careful fishing. A style of angling, such as may 

 be very proper, and successful too, in a mountain stream in Wales, 

 or in the highlands of Scotland, will not do here. Great lightness 

 of hand and the finest tackle are indispensable in this stream. 

 Salmon are occasionally taken in it, but the trout is the staple 

 commodity of its waters. 



The rivers of Wiltshire will afford a good margin for piscatory 

 sport. A ramble through the country with the rod is both pleasant 

 and improving. Its chief rivers are the Nadder, the Walley, the 

 Bourne, and the Kennet. All these waters contain trout, though 

 not of a large size ; and the country they flow through is often 

 extremely beautiful and romantic, and leaves agreeable remiuis- 



