208 WHAT I HAVE SEEN WHILE FISHING 



that the inner side should be concave to fit the 

 hip, which, together with the leather strap, affords 

 such support to the body generally as to cause you 

 actually to miss something when not using it. The 

 measurements are : Nine inches broad, that is 

 from hip to front ; fourteen inches long, and five 

 inches high, excepting at the curved openings 

 which are two and a half inches. 



The openings are for the free working of the 

 hand and arm at the drawing of the line, and the 

 height elsewhere helps the coiling and is a protec- 

 tion for the line from the wind. 



This size and shape of tin will be found the 

 most convenient for the reception of the coil, which 

 the length of line drawn in at each pull will make. 

 The slightest quantity of water put into the tin 

 draws the coils down one on the other, and keeps 

 the whole of the line moist and easy-running, 

 hence tin, and not wicker-work. I desire to render 

 credit to my friend, Mr. James Temple, the well- 

 known piscatorial artist, for the idea of attaching 

 a something to the waist into which the line could 

 be coiled. He used a wicker basket for many 

 years, and it was from a duplicate of his basket, 

 which he kindly gave me, that the side-fitting tin 

 was evolved. 



On the leather belt is a leather socket into 

 which the butt of the rod fits, and which takes 

 from the right arm much of its most arduous 

 work. 



