KNOTS IN LINES. 79 



the knot previous to being drawn tight and let 



Fig. 9. 



me recommend it before all others for joining the 

 gut to the loop which is usually made at the head 

 of salmon files. Other knots in general use, on 

 an emergency, when whipping cannot be con- 

 veniently performed, may be resorted to ; but as 

 " the longer way round is often the shorter way 

 home," in the long run, you will find those 

 I have described to be at once the least 

 troublesome and the most secure ; for, soak gut 

 as much as you will, the knots I am about to 

 mention will break twice out of thrice in the 

 mere trial with the hands, before you can get one 

 to stand ; and, as you must again soak the gut 

 after such a mishap, it will take a long time to 

 complete a line, independent of the waste of 

 material it entails. However, to make the best 

 of these knots as soon as they are formed, and 

 before drawing them tight, resoak the gut, and 

 failures will be less frequent ; nor should you 

 draw the knots very tight together ; and if you 

 whip over the whole at all, do so between them, 

 while in the loose state, three or four turns of 

 the silk. There are double and single water 

 knots; the former not absolutely requiring whip- 



