HUY. 219 



CHAPTER XYI. 



HUY TROUT-FISHING ANECDOTES OF THE LATE EDWARD A , ESQ. 



SHOOTING AT HUY MONS. MASSON ROMANEE. 



YEKY often in my younger days, when my ideas of Belgium 

 were comprised in a vast flat expanse of level corn-fields, 

 frequent canals, and straight paved roads, and my experience 

 was confined to the luxurious accommodation of the Bellevue,* 

 the excitement of the grand opera, and the society of 

 Bruxelles, I had heard whispers and flying reports of the 

 excellent trout-fishing to be had in various parts of the forest 

 of the Ardennes, and more particularly on the little river 

 Hoyoux, which discharges itself into the Meuse at the 

 pretty town of Huy, but was more interested at that time in 

 a game at ecarte at the Cercle Eoyale, or the beauties I 

 danced with at the many and delightful reunions of that 

 charming city, than in all the beauties of nature, even com- 

 bined with trout-fishing. 



In later years, when purse and constitution had both 

 suffered from early indulgences, and retirement and economy 

 were more suited to my views, and even wishes, upon reflect- 

 ing upon the many pretty spots I had passed through in my 

 flyaway trips about the continent, and which were likely to 

 afford me the above requisites, together with tolerable trout- 

 fishing, and a proximity to England, Huy happened to recur 

 to my mind. As I was always ready to act on the impulse 

 of the moment, I determined at once to test the capabilities 

 of that town or neighbourhood as a residence for an economist 



* The principal hotel at Bruxelles. 



