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as a comparative failure. The Cree is essentially a 

 spring river. It has no autumn run. One season 

 being taken with another and an average struck, the 

 Cree has remained practically the same, as to stock 

 of fish and sport, for twenty years." 



In sending Mr. Drew's note, Lord Galloway 

 favoured me with a lively and interesting letter. 

 "I don't agree with all he says," Lord Galloway 

 wrote. "In regard to both the Cree and the 

 Minnock (which falls into the Cree about fifteen 

 miles from the sea), he is right in saying that they 

 are spring rivers ; but I think if we have rain in 

 June and July good sport will be had. Unluckily, 

 of recent times there has been practically a severe 

 drought from the beginning of May yearly. In the 

 autumn I have seen the river full of fish, perhaps 

 twenty or more jumping in one pool ; but they will 

 not look at a fly then. I remember some twenty 

 years ago crossing the river in the month of 

 December on the ice in a hard frost, and seeing at 

 least a dozen salmon frozen in the ice! In my 

 opinion the falling-off in the fishing is principally 

 due to the ridiculous over-draining that has taken 

 place on the estate, in order to grow corn, which, 

 when grown, does not pay. The consequence is that 

 a spate lasts but a few hours, and all the rain has 

 gone to the sea, instead of, as was the case when I 

 was a boy, the river remaining in order for three or 

 four days. The effect of the over-draining has been 

 to spoil the fishing, ruin the snipe and wild-duck 

 shooting, load the estate with debt to pay for the 



