THE LINE, THE REEL, AND THE HOOK. 197 



heaviest. At all times, however, the several lines are un- 

 equally leaded, that the baits may swim at different depths. 

 When a trout or other fish seizes the bait, and the line, 

 released from the Giller-spo, or the Giller-pinne, as the case 

 may be, runs off, the oars are at once dropped, and the 

 boat as a consequence comes to a stand-still ; and after the 

 undisturbed lines have been hastily taken in, the captive is 

 hauled on board. 



One might suppose that on a fish seizing the bait, he 

 would at once, if unchecked, run to the length of the line, 

 and being then suddenly brought up, would break his hold 

 and make his escape. But this, by all accounts, is very 

 rarely the case ; for he seldom goes off with more than six 

 to eight fathoms of the line, when finding himself un- 

 molested, he remains quiet until the fisherman is ready to 

 take him in hand. 



Good sport is occasionally to be had by this method of 

 fishing. A friend assures me that on one particular occa- 

 sion, he himself in little more than a day killed in this way, 

 independently of other fish, fifteen huge trout, averaging from 

 seven to eight pounds each. 



The fishing-line that intended for the rod, at least 

 was always made of horse-hair, preference being given to 

 that of a white colour. 



The reel, excepting for the purpose of spinning, was 

 seldom used in my vicinity, and as a consequence, when a 

 heavy fish was hooked, however expert the fisherman might 

 be and many were really adepts in the gentle art it gene- 

 rally managed to carry away everything. 



The common fish-hook was the same as those used 

 in England ; many, indeed, were of British, or German 



