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 Sandals used ei g ht vears and the y are 8' ood 

 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 Cn weatner 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 

 264 



