FL Y FISHING IN FRANCE. 77 



for I am not up in the Bas Bretagne language ; 

 however, they seemed in a great passion, and 

 would no doubt have mobbed me, but the sight 

 of the revolver, together with the hostile atti- 

 tude of my black retriever, who put up her back 

 and showed her teeth in a most unmistakable 

 manner, had the effect of bringing them to a 

 parley. One of^the men spoke French, so there 

 was now no difficulty ; a bit of cavendish tobacco 

 put matters square, and we became great friends, 

 and I was never after interrupted there, on the 

 contrary, they always showed me politeness. 



The fly to be used in France must not be a 

 gaudy one ; not too much tinsel or gold thread. 

 Red and black palmers, grouse and partridge 

 hackles, hares ear, alder fly, duns, and such like, 

 are the killers, and these must not be too large. 

 " A small fly, a small rod, and above all, fish 

 fine," are the principal maxims to be remem- 

 bered for Lower Brittany. 



There is a very easy way of getting there now 

 by steamer from Weymouth or Southampton to 

 Jersey, and from thence again by steamer to St. 

 Malo, or you may go from Jersey in one of the 

 fine cutters, some fifty or sixty tons each, to 



