CONTINENTAL STATES. 179 



The Normans are active, industrious, and thrifty, while the natives 

 of Brittany are idle, careless, and improvident. The former are 

 likewise very superior to the latter in all their domestic arrange- 

 ments and habit : s, and are, in fact, a couple of centuries before 

 them in everything that appertains to social comfort, cleanliness, 

 and civilized deportment. 



" I was anxious to throw a line in the Couesnon, and I ascended it 

 a short distance, put on two flies, and ventured on the surface of 

 its streams. I only obtained three or four smallish fish ; but the 

 deep pools seemed to contain a fair proportion of trout for the 

 capabilities of the water. It is very clear and sparkling, and 

 requires fine tackle, and a light hand. 



" The river Ronce is an interesting one ; it takes its rise from 

 among the high division of the Mene range of hills, near to the 

 town of Cottinee, from whence it flows in an eastward direction till 

 it approaches St. Jouan, the boundary line between Normandy and 

 Brittany. The stream then runs north, through a rich and beau- 

 tiful valley, which at one place becomes very narrow, and ter- 

 minates in a sort of rocky gorge, through which the waters rush 

 towards Dinon. The river is thus hemmed in between precipitous 

 and lofty hills, and presents a succession of varied and romantic 



accomplished towards evening. The town stands upon a rocky 

 eminence, and the river Ranee flows at the bottom of it, through a 

 deep and rocky valley. A great number of English were residing 

 here, many of whom were keen anglers. Having letters of intro- 

 duction to two of them, I was soon in the midst of a whole host of 

 the disciples of 'old Izaak/ I found angling in all its phases, 

 aspects, and dodges, to be a standard dish of conversation ; and 

 the successes and disappointment, the attributes of the gentle art, 

 seemed to afford never ceasing themes of eloquence and declamation. 

 Still, there is invariably such a vital sympathy among all men 

 who have what may be called the root of the matter in them, that 

 we feel always at home with the true and enthusiastic angler, and 

 are ever ready to pin our faith and honour on his sleeve, be he in 

 what part of the world he may. 



" The Arquenon abounds with fine trout, not large, but rich in 

 flavour, and of the most bright and shining colours. We tried fly, 

 and of a pretty good size, but found the trout shy and sulky. We 

 then put on our artificial minnows, and we succeeded, in some of 

 the strong and rapid streams, in hooking three or four fish, but 

 part got off before we coidd land them on terra firma. Trying the 

 fly again, about three o'clock in the afternoon, we found our finny 

 friends in better humour ; and after about two hours' work, my 

 friend and I counted a couple of dozen of as fine trout as a man 

 would wish to see. I got all mine with spider flies, while he was 

 equally as successful with large winged ones. So much for 

 favourite flies. 



