THE APPARATUS 47 



ease. Facility in tying the blood-knot comes only 

 after practice, but, though it took hours to acquire, 

 it would still be worth all the trouble, for it is one 

 of the most valuable possessions the angler can 

 have. 



We should gladly acknowledge the source of our 

 indebtedness ; but we have been using the blood- 

 knot for so many years that we have completely 

 forgotten how it was introduced to us. Every 

 angler to whom we have shown it has become 

 enthusiastic over it, and adopted it to the exclusion 

 of all others. We have seen a large company of 

 anglers and boatmen squatting on an island of Loch 

 Lomond all industriously engaged in practising 

 the blood-knot ; that was on a day of dead calm 

 when it was more pleasant to be ashore among 

 the trees than afloat under a merciless sun. 



How to tie the Blood-knot. 



1. Put left over right. (A over B.) 



2. With the fore-finger and thumb of the left 

 hand hold the strands firmly at their intersection ; 

 pass A over B twice, meantime holding B tight 

 with the right hand, and pass the end over strand 

 A and under B as shown. 



3. Hold with the forefinger and thumb of the 

 right hand the knot as far as made ; keep strand A 

 tight with the left hand ; pass B behind and over 

 A twice and place end of B from behind into the 

 loop ; the ends of A and B will point in opposite 

 directions. 



4. Moisten the whole knot slightly and pull all 

 tight. 



N.B. The gut must be well soaked beforehand. 



