66 PRACTICAL LESSONS IN RIVER ANGLING. 



them over the top between the thumb and finger of 

 the left hand, and begin twisting with the right hand, 

 stroking them frequently below the hand that holds 

 them to keep them from entangling, then proceed to the 

 end and knot it; when four of these are finished, make 

 four with four hairs each, four with five hairs, and 

 continue increasing a hair until the quantity requisite 

 to complete the line is done. These links should be 

 then put into cold water for half an hour, which will 

 show whether the hairs shrink in any of the links, 

 and such as do must be retwisted : the four smallest are 

 to be tied together in water knots, leaving the finest 

 (should there be any difference) lowermost. The water 

 knot is thus made : lay the end of one of the hairs four 

 or five inches over that of the other, and through the 

 loop which would be made to tie them in the common 

 way, pass the long and short ends of the hairs, which 

 will lie to the right of the loop, twice, and, wetting the 

 knot with your tongue, draw it close, and cut off the 

 spare hair. 



As many inconveniences attend the use of hairs, 

 either open or twisted, for hook-lines, these are usually 

 made of silk-worm gut, or Indian grass or weed, im- 

 ported from the East. The gut is more transparent 

 than the grass, and is not so thick, nor in general so 

 round ; but is otherwise preferable. 



Gut may be had of any degree of fineness ; for the 

 same skein is formed of various sizes, as well as of 

 different degrees of quality ; some threads being long 

 and round, while others are shorter and flatter. The 

 latter are very exceptionable where a choice can be 



