40 FLY FISHING. 



possess a trolling rod made by him, and with which he kindly 

 presented me, far superior to any thing of the kind I ever before 

 called myself master of, and which I prize exceedingly. One 

 circumstance connected with this rod, I cannot forbear mention- 

 ing, which was that my friend, (not being able to procure any 

 rings at the out of the way place at which he was then located, 

 and having been put off from time to time, according to the custom 

 of trade, by promises from a shopkeeper supposed to deal in those 

 articles, that he was in daily expectation of their arrival, but 

 which never came, and most probably had never been ordered,) 

 set to work and put together a complete apparatus for making 

 them ; fabricating in fact a blow pipe, bellows and all complete, 

 with which he made those superior rings, having the invisible 

 join I before mentioned, and with which my rod is furnished, and 

 they are as sound now as on the day they were first put on, not- 

 withstanding my rod has been in pretty constant use ever since, 

 and certainly not treated with an over degree of tenderness. 



Here was an independent artist for you ! Would he not have 

 made an excellent Robinson Crusoe ? But as few can pretend to 

 the talent of my worthy friend, I consider it would generally be 

 the wiser plan to purchase a rod outright, instead of throwing 

 away time in the attempt to make one, which after all the pains 

 bestowed upon it, will most likely be the dearer in the end. Still 

 every angler ought at least to learn how to fasten on a ring, or to 

 splice a broken joint ; for this at all times and places he cannot 

 get done for him, and from this cause he may not unfre- 

 quently be prevented from following his amusement. Many 

 indeed are the noble days I should have lost had I been unable to 

 put a broken rod to rights by the water side. One instance I 

 perfectly recollect, when having the misfortune to break the 

 joint next the top very early in the day, and having no waxed 

 silk or twine about me, I was obliged to press the ribbon of my 

 hat into the service, and make the best splice I could with it ; and 

 I managed the matter so well, that this day (if my memory deceives 

 me not) turned one of the most fortunate, as far at least as 

 catching fish was concerned, that I ever remember to have 

 enjoyed. 



After the rod, the next things to which the angler should direct 

 his attention are his line and reel. The former should be made of 

 horse-hair and silk mixed, or of horse-hair alone : silk lines are 



