SPLICING A BROKEN LINE 61 



made serviceable enough to fish on with during 

 the rest of the day. 



It happens at times that a line may be broken, 

 and broken at a spot which apparently completely 

 spoils it. Yet even this damage can be made 

 good, and in the following way. Take the two 

 broken ends and pick each one into two parts with 

 a pin for about an inch. (Any line can be so un- 

 picked.) Wax these ends slightly, and then, open- 

 ing the picked-out portions, lay them into each 

 other in the manner in which the thumbs and 

 forefingers of two people cross when shaking 

 hands, and then bind them carefully and tightly 

 with fine waxed silk. When they are bound, roll 

 the bound part on any hard substance, the butt of 

 the rod will do if there is nothing better at hand. 

 Such splicing will last a long time, and if varnished 

 and allowed to thoroughly dry and harden, will 

 run as perfectly through the rings as any other 

 part of the line. The binding silk must, however, 

 be fine. 



Perhaps one of the worst things which can 

 happen is when a reel gets out of order. But 

 a little ingenuity and the blade of a strong knife 

 will generally succeed in putting it to rights, and 

 if not, there is always the alternative of cutting a 

 stick, binding the line round it, and, by means of a 

 slit in the top of it, making shift for a reel. 



In the greater portion of the foregoing centre- 



