Fish and Fishing 



a solid grip to the feet, and prolong the life of the 

 rubber boots to two and three seasons' hard usage; 

 without the sandals they would wear out in a sea- 

 son. The sandals I now wear I have 

 and Sandlls "^ed eight years, and they are good 

 for as many more, with new nails 

 and slight mending now and then at small cost. 

 These sandals are not on the market, being made 

 by a harness-maker, living near the Beaverkill 

 River, and are in use by many of the anglers on 

 that river. Any cobbler of average intelligence 

 could make a pair from the cut here given. I 

 have found them the greatest comfort of any part 

 of my angling outfit. They cost to make two 

 dollars, but are worth their weight in gold. In- 

 side the rubbers I wear hand-knitted socks of 

 gray, "all wool"; they are a blessing, absorb the 

 moisture if the feet are wet, as sometimes one 

 punches a hole in the rubbers, and keep the feet 



warm. For early spring, when the 

 Socks ^" weather is chilly, I put on a woollen 



sweater to keep the chest warm and the 

 cold from my throat and neck; when it is worn 

 the waistcoat can be discarded. The advantages 

 of the outfit are that it is light, not bulky to pack; 

 indeed, it can all be packed in a dress-suit case 

 for a two weeks' trip. The fishing suit should not 

 be too disreputable to wear at table and about the 

 hotel; if it is, the travelling suit has to be con- 

 stantly put on at meal time. In short, this outfit 

 is cheap, light to carry, light in use. 



Hip boots, if punctured, are more easily 

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