PREFACE.

We have already devoted our No. 1 of this work to a portion of the Great Eastern system, which embraces the London angler's favourite Lea and its tributaries. Therein we stated that we trusted ere long to render additional service to the angler-tourist, by extending the experiences of our rambles, and the operations of our pen, by another thirty miles or so beyond the sphere of our then literary labours.

Although it is four years since we made this promise, we have not been unmindful of it, and every opportunity at our disposal has been assiduously directed personally to attain sufficient reliable material for its thorough and efficient performance.

We purpose, therefore, in this number still in greater part to confine ourselves to the districts under the Great Eastern Railway system; but, inasmuch, as some of the rivers with which we shall have to deal, have either their rise beyond, or pursue a course of divergence from, the bounds of Essex, and Suffolk, we have preferred, rather than to divide such water-sheds in twain, to follow them from their source in other counties, and trace them, with more or less respect to detail, into or out of those we may term at present peculiarly our province.

We shall therefore have to do with the Essex and Suffolk Stour, the Blackwater (or Pant) and its tributaries, Brain and

Chelmer, the Colne, the Blythe, the Orwell and Gipping, the Deben, the Yox or Minsmere, the Alde or Ore, the Cam or Granta, the Ouse, the Nar, the Ivel, the Lark, the Wissey, the Welsh Harp Fishery, and a few supplementary notes on the Lea river.

The rivers, &c., peculiarly belonging to the county of Norfolk and neighbouring districts we reserve for No. 6.

ΤΟ

THE MOST HONOURABLE

THE MARQUIS OF SALISBURY, P.C.,

CHAIRMAN OF THE GREAT EASTERN RAILWAY COMPANY,

ETC., ETC., ETC.

MY LORD,

There are circumstances which have induced me to seek this honour at your hands far removed from any personal bearing, and which I conceive thereby obtain a great and distinctive value. I have long looked upon the rivers of the Eastern Counties system as presenting many features eminently worthy of both public and private consideration, and now that the development of that line of railway in all its various ramifications, is obviously uppermost in the minds of those to whom its management has been intrusted, I am induced the more to hope that amongst the commercial phases of its policy the item of exchequer which may be derived from the angler and tourist will receive that amount of attention I would respectfully claim for it.

No one denies the value of the river Thames to the Great Western and South-Western Railways, nor that of the river Trent to the city of Nottingham, nor the lakes and rivers of England, Ireland, and Scotland generally to railways. But who has thought of utilising the vast resources of the open waters of Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk, to their full? although the Yare, the Waveney, the Bure, the Ouse, &c., may compare, if not in volume, in unlicensed opportunities for the fisher, with any other stream common to all. It will scarcely be believed that even the names of some of these streams are not known to the

London angler, much less the fact that no restrictions whatever are placed upon the legitimate exercise of the rod, and that even where hundreds of miles of private and preserved waters exist in the counties named, a refusal to the fair fisherman is quite an exception to a rule included in the hospitality of the districts.

I have, therefore, great reason to congratulate myself on obtaining permission thus to dedicate my little book; for, as Chairman of the Great Eastern Railway, I am inclined to believe your Lordship's name will give both influence and weight to my desire to make the public more fully acquainted with districts of great sweetness and beauty, which at present are comparatively unknown.

Permit me to remain,

Your humble and obedient servant,

GREVILLE FENNELL.