28 WHALEBOXE TIPS. 



other,) there is no diminution in their several 

 strength. Moreover this affords an opportunity 

 of introducing, as I said before, the best sort of 

 wood for elasticity as well as lightness ; viz. 

 Bamboo cane, which could not be procured of 

 sufficient length for a top without splicing, owing 

 to the intervention of the natural joints or knots ; 

 and lancewood, though too heavy, and perhaps 

 too brittle when so much reduced in substance, 

 for the point of the rod, is yet elastic ; and, 

 forming the thickest splice in the top, constitutes 

 a medium weight and pliancy of wood between 

 the hiccory of the "joints" and the bamboo of 

 which the second and other splices of the " top" 

 are composed. There is another advantage in 

 spliced tops, namely, that if a breakage should 

 happen, the damaged part can be replaced with- 

 out the expence of an entire new top. 



WHALEBONE TIPS. Now as to the "weighty" 

 objection to whalebone tips, what an exquisite 

 sense of feeling must a man have to detect it ! 

 But supposing it to be perceptible, look at the 

 immense advantage whalebone affords. Elastic 

 toughness is introduced in the thinnest part of 

 the rod, the part which is almost solely engaged 

 in receiving the first shock of striking a fish ; 

 and as the fault of fishermen is mostly to strike 

 too forcibly, it is as well that they should 

 have something not liable to break. Notwith- 



