78 THE "POINT." 



the reel. Unless hair lines are of the very best 

 description made of the choicest material, and 

 spun evenly but not too tight, they are objection- 

 able on the score of strength, and are apt to 

 kink in using. The London patent line is ex- 

 ceedingly strong, even when run to the extreme 

 of attenuation; indeed, its fineness is often its 

 greatest objection, from the difficulty of throwing 

 it against the wind, although this, of course, may 

 be removed by rejecting the extreme fine end, 

 and substituting a point. A light and fine line, 

 as we have before implied, is obviously the proper 

 adaptation to a small and pliable rod, and the 

 reverse ; and so long as this is kept in view, the 

 choice between the different sorts of lines may 

 be safely left to the judgment of the user. For 

 ordinary trouting, twenty yards of line are suf- 

 ficient; but in rivers visited by salmon in 

 which case, also, the tackle should be stouter 

 than would be otherwise advisable thirty, or 

 five and thirty yards, will not be too much. We 

 have proved it "no joke" to play Salmo solar 

 with only fifteen yards of line, and therefore beg 

 particular attention to the precautions we have 

 given.* The colour of the line is not of material 



* See The Book of the Axe, pp. 92, 93. 2d edition. 



