136 Fly-rods and Fly-tackle. 



ment. That is, the strain varied every instant, causing 

 the index to vibrate incessantly up and down the scale 

 with such rapidity that the desired reading had to be 

 caught on the wing, so to speak. 



To eliminate this uncertainty I devised a cheap and 

 simple automatic device which I intended to use to test 

 the power of salmon. In the hurry of packing for my 

 next salmon trip the device was overlooked, and in 

 the next-following trip it was lost overboard by one of 

 my men while arranging it for its first use. Subse- 

 quently other matters took up my attention, so that it 

 was not replaced. For the benefit of those who may 

 wish further to investigate this question, I will describe 

 this arrangement. 



A spiral spring about a foot long and three-quarters 

 of an inch in exterior diameter, the Coils of which were 

 in close contact with one another, was bought for a few 

 cents at a hardware store. The terminal wires of this 

 spring were each formed into a closed eye. To one of 

 these eyes, which we will call the "fish-eye" for the 

 sake of a name, a cord was to be attached leading to 

 the fishing-line, to which it was to be fastened beyond 

 the rod. To the other eye, which we will call the 

 "reel-eye," was attached a strong cord to hold the 

 spring against the pull of the fish. Thus, in action, the 

 fish would pull upon the fish-end of the spring, while 

 the reel-end was held fast. This would stretch the 

 spring, elongating it more or less in proportion to the 

 strain imposed. 



Clearly, if after we were rid of the fish, and provided 

 the spring had not been stretched beyond its elastic 

 limit which could be ascertained at once by noting 

 whether the coils of the spring were in their original 



