ON RAPID STEEAMS. 103 



reflecting that the amount of movement every part 

 and portion of a rod possesses should be directly 

 proportional to the size of bulk of wood at that 

 spot, he will be able to form a proper opinion im- 

 mediately on handling the rod, of its practicability 

 and adaptation for service. 



We have now summarily glanced over flies, 

 collars, reel, line, and rod and as we are about to 

 fish the large streams, it will be advantageous to 

 us to procure india-rubber boots reaching to the 

 fork, in order that we may wade and fish in the 

 water without getting our feet and legs wet, and 

 endangering an acute attack of rheumatism or 

 of rendering our bodies susceptible of this horrible 

 malady, with its multifarious complications and 

 consequences, in after years. Any fisherman re- 

 spective of hygiene (and disregard of it is folly) 

 will not neglect the caution of wearing india- 

 rubber boots if he intends to wade in the river. 

 This wading gives us much advantage ; not only 

 does it allow us to reach our flies accidentally 

 entangled in bushes on the side of the river oppo- 

 site to us, but by allowing us in comfort to walk 

 in the water, we can, where the sides of the river 

 are bushy, fish in places which no one from the 

 bank can reach ; and in these places, the fish, 

 unaccustomed to the sore mouth of the ordinarily 

 much molested trout, takes his bait with avidity ; 

 and here, too, in avoidance of disturbance and 

 intrusion, the larger fish resort, and may be 

 readily caught with the hook. Again, in broad 

 streams, even if both sides are free from bushes, 



