CONTINENTAL STATES 277 



miscellaneous cast ; sometimes large, sometimes small, 

 •with sometimes light grey, and some dark brown wings. I 

 happened to have a good breeze ; and when this is the case, 

 the labour of the sportsman is comparatively easy, and 

 his success more certain. In the ground I travelled over, 

 there were several very long reaches of still water, occa- 

 sioned by corn and other mills on the river ; and in these 

 there seemed to be vast collections of trout. In some of 

 the more shallow and stony parts of these reaches, where 

 trout delight throughout the day to bask and gambol, 

 I could often see scores of them darting in all directions 

 for shelter, whenever my presence was detected. This 

 was proof that they were pretty numerous in most 

 sections of the river. There had been several fine trout 

 taken out of the Orne, a little above the town, and all 

 by minnow and worm — one about a week before I 

 arrived, of nearly seven pounds and a half. This is no 

 mean sport. For myself, I must say that I was not 

 successful in capturing any large trout ; but during five 

 or six days I was out with different small parties, I got 

 several fish which weighed about a pound and a half. 

 I never tried bait, but kept to the fly. I found 

 the general opinion of the anglers at Caen very much 

 divided as to the most killing flies for the river ; some 

 zealously claiming the superiority for this colour, and 

 some for that. As far as my own experience went, I 

 killed the greater portion of my fish with a middle- 

 sized hook, red body, and drab-coloured wings. 



"I set out for Avranches, and after a tedious and 

 rather laborious journey, I reached the bottom of the 

 eminence on which the town stands. The place is 

 exceedingly beautiful and picturesque. On casting an 

 eye over the surrounding objects from the terrace on 

 which the old cathedral stood, for it is now in ruins, a 

 more engaging and lovely landscape cannot be seen in 

 all France. 



" After spending about ten days at Avranches, I left 

 for the borders of Brittany. I bent my steps towards 

 Pontorson — but I must stop here, and remind the 

 wandering angler that on leaving Avranches he has five 



