226 Rod and Tackle Cbapt. xvnt. 



A constant source of disappointment in India is the swivels 

 rusting, and eating into the gut to which they are 



Rust-eaten gut. . , 5 ' , , 7 . . 



tied, and the gut consequently giving tliere when 



you get a heavy fish. If they have been put by for a fortnight, 

 always try them in your hand before risking them. Don't be 

 afraid of breaking them, it is much better that you should do so 

 yourself and re -tie, than that a fish should break it for you, and 

 carry away your phantom, or spoon into the bargain. But well 

 soak before testing, or you do not give the gut fair play, and it 

 may crack from brittleness at the double, though it would be strong 

 enough after being soaked. Test with an even strain, not a jerk. 

 Why on earth swivels, which are meant to be amphibious, are 

 almost always made of a material that will not 

 stand the water without rusting, is a thing I never 

 could make out. The only excuse for it is that they can be made 

 finer of such a hard material as steel, than of anything else. This 

 is all very fine, but it is an advantage which is more than counter- 

 balanced in India, and the sea, by their rapidly rusting; audit 

 brass swivels cannot be made small enough, or galvanized iron is 

 too soft a material to run well in a swivel, then I would suggest 

 swivels made of steel in the centre bit, and of brass al each end ; 

 so that the two eyes to which the gut is tied should be of a 

 material that does not rust and corrode the gut. At any rate it is 

 an easy plan to have your swivels electro-plated, the gut at each 

 end is then tied to silver, not iron, and is saved from being rust- 

 eaten, that is, if the plating is thick enough. 1 had such from 

 Farlow; they looked beautiful, and were so for a time, but from 

 thinness in the plating it was soon worn through, and the rust 

 commenced doing its work again. They should he liberally electro- 

 plated, at least at the two ends ; a little wax over the centre would 

 easily prevent the plating from settling on and clogging the work- 

 ing centre. My idea, is that the action of rust is more rapid in a 

 tropical country than in England; at any rate it is much i 

 provoking and remarked in a country where you cannot replenish 

 for want of a tackle shop, and consequently it should be the better 

 provided against. Brass in steel, or rev versd, ran better than any 

 other metals. The ordinary plan is to use two swivels on a b 

 with a length of gut between; but swivels are now made double, 



and such a double swivel immediately over your spoon or phantom, 



