BRITTANY. 203 



salmon river ; that is to say, as to the latter fish, when there 

 is a good flush of water, which is quite necessary for those 

 that manage to escape the traps and stake-nets set for them at 

 the entrance of the river, independent of time or season; 

 relative to both of which Frenchmen of that day entertained 

 the most supreme indifference, and considered all those "good 

 fish that came to the net." The conductor of the diligence 

 that plied between Paris and Nantes, and passed through 

 Quirnpeiie, would commonly give five francs per pound for 

 salmon (so rare it was, and so much esteemed in those days) 

 on speculation to dispose of in one of the above cities in the 

 cool months j and an old Scotch doctor, who rented some 

 apartments in an ancient chateau, situated near the river, 

 actually subsisted, and made a very tolerable income by 

 the disposal of the salmon he caught in this manner. They 

 generally ran small, rarely exceeding twelve pounds, and 

 commonly between seven and ten pounds in weight, but 

 were of a very fine quality, and bright and lively fish when 

 fresh run from the sea. Trout of several varieties, both sea 

 salmon and the common river trout, abounded in both rivers ; 

 and if the weather was commonly propitious, a good basket 

 could always be killed with the fly. I never met with any 

 grayling in Brittany. Samlets were in abundance at certain 

 seasons, and lampreys of large size were frequently seen 

 adhering to the stones in the clear shallows. Eels, of all 

 sizes and excellent quality, abounded in prodigious quantities, 

 and could be purchased in the market for two sous (one 

 penny) the pound. 



To the antiquary, the lover of the picturesque, or the 

 fisherman, nothing could be more delightful than the scenery 

 on the greater part of the banks of the larger, or Quimper 

 river, now rushing with impetuous force through the wildest 

 of rocky gorges, and suddenly transforming itself into still, 

 deep, and dark pools, the quiet abode of many a salmon; 



