46 SALMON AND TROUT. 



way to the Fishing Gazette office to unfold my secret. My 

 friend Mr. Cholmondeley-Pennell happened to accompany me on 

 a different business, and on my letting him know what mine was 

 turned round and said, u My dear fellow, I am very sorry for you, 

 but I brought that out years ago in the 'Modern Practical Angler/" 

 and as we were passing Farlow's shop at the time he took me in 

 and soon convinced me that he was right, and that his principle 

 and mine are the same, although differently carried out. There- 

 fore, although I can lay no claim to be the inventor of the " buffer 

 knot," I can honestly say that I had never seen or heard of it 

 before. 



* It is impossible to invent a better method of fastening gut 

 together than that which makes the fastening the strongest instead 

 of the weakest part of the casting line, and it is surprising to me 

 that this method has not been adopted.' (Vide p. 194.) 



I am glad to see that this knot is at last being adopted, 

 after being some twenty years before the angling public ; and 

 though 'I say it that should not say it,' Major Traherne's 

 frank testimony in favour of its superiority as applied to extra 

 stout salmon casting lines (or for gut spinning traces where 

 extra strength is required) does not go at all beyond the 

 fact. If salmon fishers reading this chapter acquire nothing 

 in return but the knowledge of this one apparently trifling 

 piece of information, their time will not have been wasted. 



The difference between my original knot, as above described, 

 and the variation of it alluded to by Major Traherne is very 

 trifling ; such as it is, however, I am of opinion that as regards 

 neatness and simplicity of manipulation my knot is distinctly 

 preferable, and I have since had letters from Major Traherne 

 saying that he had come to the same conclusion. 



Except for salmon, and then not when they run decidedly 

 small, no lapping of any sort is required in any part of the 

 casting line. The lapping that used to be applied at the tackle 

 shops gives no additional strength whatsoever, whilst the effect 

 is to exaggerate that which must always be a disfigurement. 



For casting lines of all kinds single gut, tapered, is the 

 only material that I ever think of employing, and I find it 



