Miscellaneous Suggestions. 339 



He did so, and after passing him the rifle I essayed to 

 follow. It by no means appeared difficult, but before I 

 had completed the second step the tin rod-case was clat- 

 tering down the rock towards the pool, and I, half sitting 

 and half lying on my pack, was gliding in the same di- 

 rection. The situation was somewhat serious, for unless 

 I could get my knapsack off after I was in the water, I 

 would undoubtedly be drowned like a kitten tied to a 

 brick. However, John managed to " neck " me as I went 

 by, and gaining a footing on the ledge, we worked our 

 way around to a safer descent, rescued the rods, and sat 

 us down to lunch on the rocks, two very leg-weary men. 



We then discussed the hobnail in all its bearings, and 

 rendered a unanimous verdict in favor of the small round- 

 headed nails. For when worn at all, the former presents 

 a flat, polished surface, good perhaps where no safeguard 

 is required, but worse than useless in a critical place; 

 while the latter, from the smallness and shape of the 

 head, are far more prompt to engage with slight inequal- 

 ities; and, at the same time, the weight being thrown on 

 so much smaller and sharper surfaces, they will cut 

 through lichen or dried slime much more readily to the 

 rock beneath. Therefore they seem to me unquestiona- 

 bly safer, as they certainly are lighter, and more easily 

 inserted and replaced. 



I am aware that the larger part of the foregoing is 

 pure digression, and that no proper apology can be found 

 for its introduction into a book on angling, unless it be 

 that the incidents occurred during a trip one object of 

 which was to try unfamiliar waters. Yet I must beg 

 further indulgence. The merits of that tin rod-case de- 

 mand recognition. It was simply a piece of ordinary tin 

 leader of one and a quarter inch bore, closed at the bot- 



