20 The North Country Angler. 



head and tail, are so transparent, that very few 

 things can be got to resemble them nicely; 

 nothing that is dyed I am sure can do it. 



I met with a beggar once at Durham, that 

 had a strong red curled beard ; 1 persuaded him 

 to let me get it cut off, or shaved dry. That 

 furnished me with excellent dubbing for salmon 

 and large fish ; and because I had been kind to 

 him, he brought me soon after a great quantity 

 of a more shim'ng yellow. Some of these hairs, 

 which I cut in proper lengths, I mixed with soft 

 swine's down, or other dubbing, for almost every 

 fly I dressed. And 1 made them resemble the 

 whisks and the feet of flies to a great nicety. 



CHAP. VI. 



Of the Landing Net, Hook, fyc. 



HEN I go a fishing fully accoutred, espe- 

 cially when I take a friend or boy with me, I 

 have a staff, of fir for lightness, about ei^ht feet 

 long, with a good ferule and hoop at the small 

 end, into which I can screw any of the trinkets 

 belonging to it ; as first a landing net, which I 

 need not describe, being so much used ; or a 

 large long-shanked hook, to strike inio the gills 

 or head of a large fish; I had another shaped like 

 a hoat hook, with which I could, if fastened on a 

 root or stone, either thrust off my hook, or pull 

 a root or branch to me 3 I had another smaller 



