H 2 Fly-Fifhlng. 



I lofe fewer fifti with the latter, be the caufe what it may. 

 The greateft difadvantage of the fneck-bent hook, viz. 

 fhortnefs of {hank, I am rejoiced to find at length cor- 

 recled. The laft fample I bought in London, ftrange to 

 fay, I have in many cafes been compelled to fhorten. 



By all means then, ufe, if you can procure them, 

 fneck-bent hooks. I almoft forgot to tell you that you 

 will require a collar of not lefs than three yards of gut,* 

 each knot tied double, and drawn quite tight when the 

 gut has been well foaked. The gut mould graduate from 

 a moderate thicknefs to that of the fineft from the top 

 to the bottom. The end fly, called a ftretcher, and the 

 fecond (if you ufe three flies, which you had better not 

 at firft) about two feet and a half from the other. 



And now I have brought you thus far through the 

 dry ordeal threatened above, I would willingly pafs on 

 to fubjefts more agreeable to me to prate of, and inter- 

 efting, I truft, to you to hear.f But, a fly-maker, as well 

 as fly-fifher myfelf, I fhall not reft fatisfied till I have 

 put you in the readieft way of becoming the fame. 



* Your gut fhould be ftained, to efcape the eyes of the fifh as 

 much as poflible. If you wifh it to be of a light-blue colour, all 

 you have to do is to put it into an infufion made by boiling afmall 

 quantity of logwood, and a very little copperas, in a pint of rain- 

 water. When the dye is ready, and ftill hot, put your gut into it 

 for about a quarter of a minute, and it will come out the right colour. 



If fuch a dye be not at hand, you had better foak your gut in 

 very ftrong green tea, which will impart a colour to it better than 

 the original. Or, the coatings of onions will make a ufeful dye. 

 Let the gut remain in it when cold, till it aflame the fhade you 

 require. 



f This was written originally juft after the Introductory Chapter. 



