SALMON FISHING. 133 



salmon fishing, and, for that matter, in all fishing ; the 

 principle doesn't work, and, as in the old rhyme, it will be 



found that 



Multiplication is vexation, 



and, if it doesn't cause a " division " in " practice," it will 

 certainly " make you mad." Eight-plait dressed silk line 

 is the best, and of these lines none equal the London ones. 

 Many other manufacturers have been tried, but they none 

 of them stand so well as the London lines. Most of the 

 other lines are plaited too tightly and closely, and the 

 result is either that the dressing does not soak into the 

 line, but, merely adhering to the outside, soon rubs and 

 wears off, when they soon wear out (for few salmon lines 

 will stand^with advantage a second dressing), or the line 

 has to be soaked so long in the composition, and dries so 

 slowly that it becomes half rotten before it is dry, and full 

 half its strength is lost and destroyed. The London lines,* 

 however, are more loosely plaited, so that the composition 

 used for dressing not only penetrates quickly throughout 

 the fibre, but dries quickly too ; and thus, though the 

 outside may wear, the inside still retains sufficient for all 

 purposes, and the line is less damaged by the immersion. 

 These lines, however, are expensive, 3d. a yard being the 

 ordinary price ; and this has induced other makers to 

 fabricate lines of cotton, hemp, and other materials on the 

 same plan, but at a much cheaper rate. Some of these 

 lines are found to answer well ; but, if I can get a good 

 trustworthy London eight plait silk line I prefer it to all 

 others, and do not think the extra expense thrown away. 

 I have had lines of this sort which I have used for many 



* Whether these lines are made in London or no I cannot 

 Bay. 



