I  regret  that  I  am  unable  to  add  that  I
like  new-fangled  creels,  which  are  fitted  up
with  such  a  close  resemblance  to  a  lady's
dressing-case,  with  trays  and  such-like
things,  to  hold  the  flybook,  the  lunch,
flask,  pipe,  etc.  I  prefer  to  carry  a  small
bag  over  my  other  shoulder,  in  which  I
hold  my  lunch  and  my  flybook.
I  must  say  that  I  rather  like  the  little


1 68  We^Fly  Fishing

indiarubber  bags,  which  are  attached  by
straps  to  the  outside  and  front  of  the  creel.
These  are  very  handy,  and  are  to  be  recom-
mended accordingly,  since  they  do  not  pre-
vent the  angler  filling  his  creel  with  trout,
if  he  happens  to  be  in  luck's  way,  which  I
trust  he  will  often  be.
I  am  no  faddist  in  fishing-gear,  and,  if
I  have  invented  a  few  things,  I  have  proved
them,  up  to  the  hilt,  to  be  of  real  practical
utility  to  myself,  long  before  I  have  ventured
to  give  them  to  the  angling  world.  I  may
add  that  I  have  never  patented  an  inven-
tion, and  that  any  one  is  at  liberty  to  make
use  of  mine.  It  is  always  well  to  avoid
rushing  into  print  till  one's  invention  has
been  tested  —  a  thing  young  fishermen
should  remember.
For  shoulder  strap,  the  usual  one  made
of  leather  and  webbing  is  as  good  as  any-
thing I  know.  I  need  hardly  add  that  I
always  use  attached  to  it,  my  other  inven-
tion, "Tod's  safety  buckle."  *

A  description  of  my  buckle  appeared
in  the  Fishing  Gazette,  many  years  ago,  and
also  in  the  number  for  December  6,  1902,
in  the  reprint  of  a  paper  which  I  read
before  the  members  of  the  Trout  Anglers'
Club,  Edinburgh,  in  January  of  that  year.
