PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



bear more severely on one material than on the other, 

 ultimately causing brittleness. A plaited silk line, 

 which has been submitted to a process of varnishing, 

 rendering it impervious to water, will, I think, do the 

 greatest amount of work, and throw the greatest length 

 of line ; but for delicate, light, fine fishing, nothing I 

 know of can surpass the old-fashioned line, composed 

 entirely of horse-hair ; for they are possessed of more 

 vitality, elasticity and quickness. In the selection 

 of one of these every foot should be carefully 

 examined and tested, for a careless slop-shop maker 

 will frequently work in short and worthless hair, pos- 

 sibly in the centre, which will destroy the whole fabric ; 

 for if the line be once broken it is useless, it matters 

 not how much ingenuity and time you spent over the 

 splice. For a day or two it may pass through the 

 rings, but the friction will wear it rough, and it will 

 catch, sooner or later, not improbably when a large 

 fish is on, for then the strain is greatest. Can any- 

 thing more disgusting be imagined than taking the last 

 look at eight or ten yards of your line, perhaps more, 

 rapidly disappearing in the eddying stream with your 

 casting line and flies acting as advance guard ? The 

 thought of such a catastrophe is enough to make a 

 man's blood run cold. 



Casting lines should also taper, and, provided the 

 gut is good, can scarcely have too fine a termination. 

 Although a great many disciples of the rod always 

 purchase these ready made, every fisherman should be 

 able to knot one up himself. The process is simple. 

 Select your hairs coarse ones for the top, fine ones 

 for the bottom steep them for some minutes in water 

 as warm as the hand can conveniently bear, then knot 



