Appendix. 141 



next necefTaries I muft bring under your notice, viz. gut 

 and hooks. If your gut be inferior, it will caufe you 

 the greateft poffible inconvenience. Oh ! how often the 

 paltry fluff has failed me, when on the eve of landing 

 fome mighty monfter of the deep ! I can conceive no- 

 thing more trying to the temper, than fuch a mifhap. 

 Indeed, I have regretted more than once fome hafty ex- 

 preffion of red-hot anger efcaping my lips, when I found 

 how completely all my fkill had been thus thrown away. 

 You need fcarcely be told that there are rogues in fifh- 

 ing-gear, as well as in grain. Make a point then of 

 never buying gut or anything elfe at a doubtful mop. 

 Don't be extravagant, but avoid cheapnefs (if that be 

 the chief recommendation), as you would a gaily-painted 

 but rotten boat in a ftormy fea. Let the gut you pur- 

 chafe be always round, and of a foft filky texture ; and 

 never think of tying a knot in it without firft foaking it 

 well in water. If gut of the beft quality be of the utmoft 

 importance, not the lefs fo is the kind of hook you felecl. 

 For many years I thought Limerick hooks unrivalled ; 

 but of late I have completely changed my opinion. I 

 flill think as before, that no hook fets off a fly fo well 

 to the eye, of man at leaft, if not of a trout, though I 

 profefs not to be in the fecrets of the latter. The long- 

 tapering fhank what an opportunity it furnifhes, O fly- 

 making reader, of delicately moulding the head and fining 

 off the body of the March brawn, large Red-fpinner, and 

 May-fly ! without mentioning feveral others of kindred 

 fize and fhape. In fpite of all this, I have difcarded the 

 Limerick in favour of the fneck-bent hook, chiefly becaufe 



