24:2 GUN, KOD, AND SADDLE. 



of opinion. Of whatever materials they are com- 

 posed they should taper. Hair and silk I was at one 

 time much in favor of; but, after a lengthened trial, 

 I found one great objection the two materials had 

 not the same amount of elasticity, so that a heavy 

 strain would bear more severely on one than on the 

 other, which ultimately caused brittleness. A 

 plaited-silk line, which has been submitted to a pro- 

 cess of varnishing, rendering it impervious to water, 

 will, I think, do the greatest amount of work and 

 throw the greatest length of line; but for deli- 

 cate, light, fine fishing, nothing I know of can surpass 

 the old-fashioned one, composed entirely of horse- 

 hair ; for they are possessed of more vitality, elastici- 

 ty, and quickness. In the selection of one of these 

 every foot should be carefully examined and tested, for 

 a careless, slop-shop workman will frequently work 

 in short and worthless hair, possibly in the center, 

 which will destroy the whole fabric ; for if the line be 

 once broken it is useless. It matters not how much in- 

 genuity and time you spend over the splice. For a 

 day or two it may pass through the rings, but the fric- 

 tion will wear it rough, and it will catch, sooner or 

 later, not improbably with a large fish, for then the 

 strain is greatest. Can any thing more disgusting 



