39 



tion in point of locality, can scarcely perceive his fly alight 

 upon the surface. 



On the other hand, ihefly-rod is so extremely elastic 

 (being formed so, that, when lashed like a carman's whip, 

 the tip will nearly swing round to the butt), that it can 

 scarcely drop a line into the water steadily, and cannot 

 possibly strike smart and true, as a good bottom-rod does; 



I have heard much of making rods by the aid of com- 

 mon country carpenters, and have had several so manu- 

 factured 5 but, though I certainly dkt once possess- a fty- 

 rod exquisitely true, and, indeed, all that could be wished 

 for, yet it was one of about seven or eight so obtained' 5 

 all the residue were very, very bad ! 



My rods were neither one tiling nor the other, and had 

 a fair claim to the ludicrous title of " Cap tain- lieu tenant," 

 given by butchers to calves when they are too old for veal', 

 and too young for beef!" 



None of the rods, rn question cost me less than five 

 shillings in money to the carpenter, for his wood and his 

 trouble. Then I had to purchase and to apply the rings, 

 with their staples j to weld, and to varnish, and to pay for 

 brass sockets, the spud, ferrols, screws, &e. &rc. before 

 my rod was complete ; so that on the whole, not one rod 

 cost me less than ten or eleven shillings. 



Now, as I could purchase an excellent Jly-rod for six- 

 teen, with brass sockets (which never swell so as to be 

 difficult to separate, nor wear so as to become loose), I 

 fiad not much reason to boast of my management in em* 

 ploying a village artist. 



A bottom-rod should be about fourteen feet in length^ 

 divided into four equal pieces, joined by brass ferrols, and 

 with brass sockets, as above stated* 



Thi* 



