THE CREE AND FLEET. 429 



I am indebted to the kindness of a gentleman con- 

 nected with this district for the following details re- 

 specting the Cree, Fleet, Minnick, and Urr, as well as 

 the rivers of Wigtonshire, the Luce, and Bladenoch : 

 " The fishings of the river Cree belong principally to the 

 Earl of Galloway. In the neighbourhood of Newton 

 Stewart, they are of considerable value, about six hun- 

 dred pounds per annum, including stake nets in the 

 sestuary. Higher up, the river belongs entirely to his 

 lordship, and nets are not allowed to be used; conse- 

 quently the Cree is occasionally a first-rate stream for 

 salmon or rather grilse fishing; but a great deal depends 

 upon its being frequently flooded at the proper season, 

 that is, from the middle of June until the month of 

 August. The best part of the river for angling lies 

 about ten miles above Newton Stewart, at or near the 

 junction of the Cree and Minnick, the latter of which 

 is much the larger stream, and affords the better fly- 

 fishing. Few sea-trout ascend the Cree beyond Newton 

 Stewart, and salmon are the only fish it contains worth 

 mentioning, the yellow trout being generally of small 

 size, and, except near the sources of the river, not very 

 numerous. The smelt or sperling, a very delicate little 

 fish, is taken in the brackish water at the mouth. The 

 only fly I have found suitable for the Cree, is formed of 

 the brown feather on the back of the mallard's wing, 

 brown hackle over orange dubbing, with a little blue 

 ditto, at the shoulder forming the legs, the tail tuft 

 being of lemon-colour worsted along with a couple of 

 fibres from same feather as the wing. The size of the 

 hook is of course regulated by the size and colour of the 

 river. 



" The FLEET is an insignificant stream, seldom fre- 

 quented by salmon, and the sea-trout, which a few years 



