44 



I have always made a rule of fixing my rod upright, 

 without the house, and of allowing as much line to hang 

 from my rod as would float in the wind, or that could 

 fee freely exposed to the air.,, without the danger of being 

 entangled by persons walking about, &c. 



Whatever may be the material that composes the line, 

 it should be woven, ami taper, so as to be fight in action, 

 and of due strength. The smaller its diameter may be,, 

 the more pleasant it will prove, both to carry and to-, 

 use : a smaller reel will be required,, and the whole ap^ 

 jaratus will be more compact. 



The line should be fastened to the reel, by passing ife 

 through the hole in the axle-, and making a drawing loop 

 with the end, over that part which has not passed through 

 the hole. This will sit quite close, and cannot be forced 

 by any exertion on the part of the fish, when the whole 

 line may be run out. A knot might slip through the 

 hole, or give way at its neck. 



Of the Endless, Hidden, or Finishing Knot. 



The hidden knot, which is so necessary to be known 

 to all anglers, is very easy to make, and is the only one 

 fit for the finishing of whippings, moldings, &c. It is- 

 clone thus : when you corne within about three or four 

 laps of your whipping's termination, turn back the point 

 of your silk over what laps you have made, holding it 

 down with your thumb ; pass the silk round as you was 

 going on with it before ; taking care, however, always 

 to keep the loop, or tight (made by the ends being turned 

 back), perfectly fr<^ from twists. When you have gone 

 round as far as you intended, pull the end that was 

 turned back, and it will draw all the loops, or slack part 



of 



