160 ANCIENT ANGLING AUTHORS 



Chetham alludes to having heard " an Angler 

 lately, highly commend a Dibbing Line made of 

 white Virginal Wyre, the brittleness or stiffness of 

 it " being tempered by heating it in a charcoal fire. 

 Hovvlett also mentions the use of these lines : " Some 

 use well Neal'd Wire-Lines of several sizes, both to 

 angle for some Fish, and dap with for others ; but 

 they are very apt to kink, and then break at that 

 place." An attempt has been made in recent years 

 to introduce the use of these lines, but the objections, 

 mentioned by Hewlett, have not as yet been over- 

 come. 



In dealing with the various methods of placing 

 the shots. and bullets on the line, mention is made of 

 a plan adopted in Shropshire : 



In Shropshire, they use no Lead at all on this 

 Line, but neatly cover the shank of the Hook with 

 a very thin Plate of Lead made taper, so as to slip 

 the Bait upon it, that the Lead may not hang in the 

 Weeds or Stones, nor the Fish catch hold of it 

 instead of your Bait, as Trouts will ; nor take distaste 

 at the sight of it, as some may. 



The method of making a self-cocking float is thus 

 described : 



But when I fish with a Float at any Depth, and 

 with a Lead so small as will not make my Float to 

 sink, or without any Lead, and yet would have my 

 Float to cock ; I put into my Float, if a Quil-Float, 

 one Shot, or more, as I see cause, and stop the Float 

 with a wir'd Plug, or cement it in the middle, as in 

 Sect. 22 of this Chapter. 



