ON RAPID STREAMS. 75 



take your waxed silk in your right hand,, and with 

 the fore-finger and thumb bind it twice around 

 the middle third of the shank of the bare hook ; 

 take now your gut, bitten as directed, and place 

 it on the upper surface of the shank of the hook, 

 and let the flattened end of the gut extend for- 

 wards as far as the point where the hook is first 

 bent, and maintain it here, together with the hook, 

 between the fore-finger and thumb of the left 

 hand ; now seize the silk, which is pendent from 

 the shank of the hook, and .bringing it to within 

 four-fifths of the extreme point of the shank, be- 

 gin to wind it round the gut and the hook, carrying 

 your left hand in a direction away from your per- 

 son, and evenly, regularly, and- firmly continue 

 your winding towards your left hand, till you have 

 in a perfect manner covered and concealed your 

 gut completely. Your hook is now spliced on, 

 and for a beginner it will be well for him to try 

 if he can pull the gut out of the splicing, as all 

 steps which will give firmness to the hold upon 

 the hook are now completed ; and this should be 

 done with great caution and irresistible firmness. 

 Now place your left fore-finger a little lower down 

 on the shank of the hook, than it was before, so as 

 to include in its grasp the end of the silk attach- 

 ing the hook to the gut. Take now a pinch of 

 the fur you have mixed in the fore-finger and 

 thumb of your right hand, and lay it on the silk, 

 which is made tense the while by seizing the free 

 end of it between the apex of the little finger and 

 the ball of the thumb of your right hand ; having 



