thing can be more dreary than the early course of the Tweed, which enters this county just below Kelso, and flowing to the north-east to Berwick, below which it enters the German Ocean. The Tweed is, however, a celebrated Pastoral Stream, giving name to many of the most beautiful Scottish Melodies.

All these rivers so abound with fish, that the Angler cannot fail of sport. A vast quantity of Salmon is caught and pickled at Berwick, and by contract forwarded to the London markets, where it is sold under the appellation of Newcastle Salmon. Of late years much has been sent fresh to London, packed in Ice.

Mottinghamshire.

THE chief river of this county is the Trent, which enters it at the south-west point, where it joins the Erwash, and passing through to the north-east, enters Lincolnshire; and, after having run nearly two hundred miles from its source, falls into the HUMBER. The IDLE springs in Sherwood Forest, and is formed by several small streams issuing from the upper part of that sandy district. This river contributes to adorn the extensive Parks of Welbeck, Clumber, and Thoresby: its course is northeast through the Forest; afterwards inclining towards the east to meet the Trent at the entrance of the Isle of Axholme. The Idle is navigable from East Retford, and the Chesterfield canal crosses the northern extremity of the county, and enters the Trent near the mouth of the Idle. The stream

called the Old River Don advances at the edge of the Fens, almost parallel with the Trent, but not reaching it until near its mouth.

The Trent is famous for angling. It produces some Salmon, but abounds with Trout, Pike, Grayling, Perch, and other fish. Near the towns of Newark and Nottingham is very good fishing.

Orfordshire.

THE THAMES, the Isis*, (increased by the WINDRUSH and EVENLODE,) and the CHERWELL, are the principal rivers: the first two have been already mentioned in Middlesex. The Windrush flows out of the Cotswold hills, coming down from Burford and Whitney, and runs into the Isis: after this conflux, the Isis has a north-east course to Eynsham, and then unites with the Evenlode, which also rises in the Cotswold, and descends from Whichwood Forest and Charlbury. The Cherwell rises in Northamptonshire, out of a hill whence spring three rivers running different ways, and, after parting Northamptonshire from this county for some distance, it enters it near Banbury, and passes through the middle of it until it joins the Isis.

In all these rivers the Angler will find some Trout, abundance of common fish, excellent Perch and Pike, and for fine Eels they are also noted.

*To shew the abundance of Fish in this River, in 1674 the Mayor of Oxford appointed two days for fishing between Swithin's Wier and Woolvercot Bridge, a distance of about three miles, when fifteen hundred Pike were taken, besides Fish of other kinds.

VOL. II.

K

The Rud are generally most plentiful near where the Cherwell joins the Isis.

Rutlandshire.

THIS is the smallest county in England, and although washed by the Welland on its south and south-east borders, and by the Chater, (which, rising in the forest of Liffield, on the confines of Leicestershire, joins it at Ketton,) is yet said to have but one native river, and which is called the GUASH or Wash. To this Drayton the Poet alludes, when he celebrates Rutlandshire as containing, in its limited compass, three objects of great beauty and utility.

Small Shire that can produce to thy proportion good
One Vale of special name, one Forest, and one Flood.

POLYOLBION.

The Vale is that rich one of Catmose, comprehending the county town of Okeham, near which the elevated Palace of Burley on the Hill, the seat of the Earl of WINCHILSEA, presents the finest Terrace and Court-yard in England. The river is the Guash or Wash, which rising in Leicestershire winds through the county from east to west. The Forest is that of Liffield, which formerly occupied the southwestern part; of which a portion still remains in its original state, and is stocked with Deer.

There are many inconsiderable streams in this county, wherein Pike, Perch, and common fish, are in plenty.

Shropshire.

THE SEVERN (already noticed in Gloucestershire) is the chief river, and enters this county just at its conflux with Wirnew, and runs through it from west to south-east, being navigable in its whole course through Shropshire, and affording a great convenience for the transport of its commodities. Fine Salmon are taken near Shrewsbury, and numbers of these fish run up the Severn quite into Wales. They are said to be sooner in season than those of any other river in England, though in some parts of Ireland and Scotland the fish come in earlier. Salmon Trout, Pike, Trout, Carp, Perch, Roach, Dace, Chub, and Grayling, are likewise in abundance near the above-mentioned town; and an instance has been known of a Grayling being taken there which weighed five pounds. Ruff, Gudgeon, Flounder, Eels, Salmon-fry, and Gravlings, or Gravel-last-springs, (called in this county Sampsons,) are also in plenty, and afford fine diversion to the Angler.

The TEME or TEMD rises in those mountains which divide Radnorshire [from Montgomeryshire, and enters this county at the village of RuthinRugante; after which it is joined by the Clun, which rises not far from Bishops-castle in Shropshire, and passes by Ludlow, where it is joined by the Corve, and proceeding to Tenbury, reaches the Severn near Worcester, after traversing a romantic hollow through which the road from Bromyard to Wor

cester passes. This river abounds with excellent Grayling and Trout.

The Wevel rises in Shropshire, and runs north to Cheshire. The Tern has its rise and name from a large Pool in Staffordshire, and empties itself into the Severn about four miles below Shrewsbury; it is famous for its Perch, which are so large as to weigh from two to four pounds a Perch. In Lee Brook, about two miles from Wem, there is fine angling, as it produces good Pike, Perch, Eels, &c.

In the Clun water there are numbers of Trout, which do not grow very large; but the Angler will often here take barren Trouts, that in winter, when other Trouts are good for nothing, are excellent. In Meel Brook, there are Trout, Carp, Ruff, and common fish; the Eels also are particularly fine.

Somersetshire.

THE YAW has its origin on the eastern side of the Mendip hills, and flows in a north-west direction to the Bristol Channel; its course is short; it passes the town of Wrington, the native place of the famous JOHN LOCKE.

The AXE rises in two small branches on the western side of the Mendip hills; one of which has its source in the cavern called Wokey, or Ochie Hole, which is a natural perforation of the rock, not unlike those so much celebrated in Derbyshire: after passing the little town of Axe-bridge, it winds through a tract of marshes to fall into the Bristol Channel.