i84 ANGLING 



The meads are decked by Flora's hand, 



Her gifts perfume the gale, 

 And Bacchus dyes with magic wand 



The floods of Ribblesdale. 



The sweet though fatal power of love. 



Which sighing swains bewail, 

 No witching beauties ere could prove 



Like those of Ribblesdale. 



'Twas here the gallant feats befell 



Which fill the poet's tale ; 

 For all the deeds romances tell 



Were done in Ribblesdale. 



Be court or city others' lot 



While angling scenes I hail ; 

 Be mine, in some sequestered spot. 



The charms of Ribblesdale." 



The most highly esteemed spots of the Ribble for 

 comfortable trout-fishing are from Clitheroe to the town 

 of Settle. The country is open and pleasant. 



There are fine streams for fly in the higher sections 

 of the Wharfe ; and the minnow after a flood is a 

 deadly bait. This river rises out of the mountainous 

 parts of the county near Mardale Moor, and enters the 

 Ouse a short distance above Selby. For several miles 

 after it leaves its first springs, the streams are very tine 

 and numerous, and are beautifully constructed by the 

 hand of nature herself for the facilities of easy and 

 comfortable fly-fishing. Large trout are occasionally 

 met with ; but the general run of the Wharfedale fish 

 are below the average of the trout commonly obtained 

 in many of the rivers of the south of England. Care 

 should be taken not to fish with flies of too large a 

 size ; and anglers will find that the palmers, both red 

 and black, are well suited to these waters. 



The Swale is a good stream. It springs from lofty 

 hills in the vicinity of Kirkby-Stephen, in "Westmoreland. 

 Catteriok Bridge is au excellent fishing station on 

 the river, where everything that can render travelling 

 comfortable can be readily and reasonably obtained. 

 Ten or twelve dozen of fish are no uncommon day's 



