208 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



or frets : for a well chosen, even, clear, round hair, of a kind 

 of glass colour, will prove as strong as three uneven scabby 

 hairs that are ill chosen, and full of galls or unevenness. You 

 shall seldom find a black hair but it is round, but many white 

 are flat and uneven ; therefore, if you get a lock of right, round, 

 clear, glass colour hair, make much of it. 



And for making your line, observe this rule : First, let your 

 hair be clean washed ere you go about to twist it ; and then 

 choose not only the clearest hair for it, but hairs that be of an 

 equal bigness, for such do usually stretch all together, and 

 break all together, which hairs of an unequal bigness never do, 

 but break singly, and so deceive the angler that trusts to them. 



When you bave twisted your links, lay them in water for a 

 quarter of an hour at least, arid then twist them over again 

 before you tie them into a line : for those that do not so shall 

 usually find their line to have a hair or two shrink, and be 

 shorter than the rest at the first fishing with it, which is so 

 much of the strength of the line lost for want of first watering 

 it and then retwisting it ; and this is most visible in a seven- 

 hair line, one of those which hath always a black hair in the 

 middle.* 



* Your line, whether it be a running line or for float-fishing, had best be 

 of hair ; unless you fish for Barbel, and then it must be of strong silk. And 

 the latter, (the line for float-fishing,) must be proportioned to the general 

 size of thefish you expect always remembering that the single hair is to 

 be preferred for Roach or Dace 'fishing. But the fly line is to be very 

 strong ; and, for the greater facility in throwing, should be eighteen or 

 twenty hairs at the top, and so diminishing insensibly to the hook. There 

 are lines now to be had at the fishing-tackle shops that have no joints, but 

 wove in one piece. 



But notwithstanding this and other improvements, perhaps some may 

 still choose to make their own lines. In which case, if they prefer those 

 twisted with the fingers, they need only observe the rules given by the 

 author for that purpose. But, for greater neatness and expedition, I 

 would recommend an engine lately invented, which is now to be had at 

 almost any fishing tackle shop in London : it consists of a large horizontal 

 wheel and three very small ones, enclosed in a brass box about a quarter 

 of an inch thick, and two inches in diameter ; the axis of each of the small 

 wheels is continued through the under side of the box, and is formed into 

 a hook ; by means of a strong screw it may be fixed in any post or parti- 

 tion, and is set in motion by a small winch in the centre of the box. 



To twist links with this engine, take as many hairs as you intend each 

 shall consist of, and, dividing them into three parts, tie each parcel to a bit 

 of fine twine, about six inches long, doubled, and put through the aforesaid 

 hooks ; then take a piece of lead, of conical figure, two inches high, and 

 two in diameter at the base, with a hook at the apex, or point ; tie your 

 three parcels of hair into one knot, and to this, by the hook, hang the 

 weight. 



Lastly, take a quart, or larger, bottle cork, and cut into the sides, at 

 equal distances, three grooves ; and placing it so as to receive each division 

 of hair, begin to twist : you will find the link begin to twist with great 

 evenness at the lead ; as it grows tighter, shift the cork a little upwards ; 

 and when the whole is sufficiently twisted, take out the cork, and tie the 

 link into a knot, and so proceed till you have twisted links sufficient for 

 your line, observing to lessen the number of hairs in each link in such 

 proportion as that the line may be taper. 



