58 



japanned tin, wood, leather, and even, papier mache, have all their 

 advocates. That a change of taste in this matter may occur is 

 quite within the range of possibility, if not probability, as will be 

 seen by the following communication published in the Fishing 

 Gazette, by that thoroughly practical writer on angling, Mr. 

 Francis M. Walbran : 



SIR, I have read with some interest the recent correspondence in your 

 columns respecting creels, and believe that in course of time hardly any angler 

 will adhere to the wicker pannier. I have myself long since discontinued using 

 one, and now always employ either the tin creel, that you will recollect I pur- 

 chased at Gillett's, or a wooden one which was procured from J. Routledge, 

 35, Scotch Street, Carlisle. This latter is most beautifully made, will hold 

 20 Ib. of fish, and only weighs 2 Ib. 10 oz. ; it makes a capital seat when you 

 are eating your lunch or smoking a meditative pipe, and one great advantage 

 that it has over the tin one is, that it does not attract the rays of the sun, and 

 consequently keeps the fish much cooler. 



I shall await anxiously the reply of some competent judge of the merits or 

 demerits of papier mdche, as it would undoubtedly be a wonderfully light 

 material. 



As you are aware, the Cumbrian anglers all use wooden creels of the pat- 

 tern I have mentioned ; but I only know among all my acquaintance one 

 angler who possesses a leathern receptacle of the pattern you describe having 

 seen at Ripon. The friend in question resides at Hawes, and when you 

 remember that the mighty " Herne " also came from that district, it is only 

 fair to assume that the two creels were made locally probably by one man. I 

 hope to be there shortly, and will then inquire. Anyhow, both wood or tin 

 are a long way better than leather, as the former can be rinsed out as clean as 

 a dish ; but the latter retains the smell of the fish. I am, &c., 



FRANCIS M. WALBRAN. 

 Oct. 30, 1886. 

 The Editor of \^o. Fishing Gazette. 



Mr. T. E. Pritt, the author of that very beautiful and interest- 

 ing monograph " North Country Flies,"* will have nothing to do 

 with what he calls " the tin-pot arrangement," lately advocated by 

 several writers on fishing, unless, as he humorously adds, it is 

 desired to ' combine the advantages of a creel and a slow cook- 

 ing stove.' . . . "I have," says Mr. Pritt, " an old tin creel 



* Sampson Low, Marston & Co. 



