TACKLE AND FISHING GEAR. 49 



same manner as a ship's cablethe principle of which is that 

 whilst the cable itself is twisted from right to left, the separate 

 ropes of which it is composed are twisted from left to right. 

 The, result of this is that the two twists counteract each other 

 in their mutual inclination to kink, and when wetted, the cable, 

 instead of swelling, hardens and contracts. Of the plaited 

 hemp lines issued by the same Company I have nothing good 

 to say, neither did any of the dressings of them that I have seen 

 properly effect their object, and if they did so temporarily, my 

 experience is that they would not stand. 



In the case of the particular line to which I refer, no 

 semblance of dressing of any sort now remains, or did remain 

 after the first few months, or, perhaps, weeks, of real 'service 

 in the field,' on any part of the line which had come into actual 

 use. The strength, however, was and is, I think, bulk for 

 bulk, unequalled by any lines that I have met with made of 

 silk. The latter, however, possess the great advantage of taking 

 the dressing, or waterproofing, perfectly, and admitting after- 

 wards of a smoothness and polish which facilitate very greatly 

 the running out and the reeling in of the line. 



These dressed silk lines also, if not absolutely so strong as 

 those made of hemp aforesaid (which I would not assert), can 

 be made quite strong enough for all practical purposes. I say 

 advisedly ' can be made,' because I have found the most unex- 

 pected differences in the strength of different so-called dressed 

 lines of the same thickness, and where they have been said to 

 be of the same manufacture. The best rough and ready method 

 of testing is to take a foot or two of the line between the hands 

 and ascertain, by breaking or trying to break it, what is its 

 actual strength. 



It appears, then, that on a computation of advantages and 

 disadvantages our support should be given to dressed silk lines 

 for fly fishing; and as these are made of every thickness, from 

 that of an ordinary piece of stout sewing cotton almost to that 

 of a bell rope, everyone can, without difficulty, suit his par- 

 ticular objects and tastes. 



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