LINES. 47 



tail of the snatch-block, will be found very convenient ; by 

 being made with a bend they might ship into staples in the 

 sides of a yacht's stanchions to avoid making holes in the top- 

 rail. The block should hang about shoulder high for easy 

 hauling ; length of davit according to height of vessel's bulwarks 

 in boats, about two feet would be sufficiently long. The 

 North Sea Cod-smacks have an arrangement for this purpose. 

 With light gear and a moderate depth of water, it is of course 

 superfluous, but either for Congering, Cod-fishing, Haddock, or 

 Whiting catching in deep water I recommend this arrangement 

 with confidence, as I find it a great improvement on working 

 the lines over the gunwale or top-rail, for it not only lightens 

 the labour, but also saves rail and gunwale from being cut into 

 deep notches by the friction of the lines. 



Lines. For heavy ground-fishing and Whiting catching, 

 hemp is the material in general use ; but for a moderate depth 

 of water and run of tide I prefer a much finer line made from 

 a strong twine in two strands, which I find much less liable to 

 foul than the usual threefold make. 



Plaited lines are very good, but much too expensive for 

 general ground-fishing, yet make excellent rod-lines if well 

 dressed with a stiffening solution, of which I do not find, on 

 the whole, anything more effectual or lasting than coal-tar and 

 turpentine. Bridport is the chief seat of net, twine, and line 

 manufacturers, and has been so for centuries. Cotton lines 

 are also used, and large quantities are exported to Newfound- 

 land and neighbouring colonies for use in the Cod fisheries. 



In the woodcut fig. u, page 48, lines of different sizes are 

 shown for various fish, and, by the numbers attached, they can 

 be selected or ordered from any tackle-maker's or manufac- 

 turer's stock, personally or by letter. 



No. i is well fitted for a bulter or long line for Congers ; 

 it is also a good size for hand-line fishing with the grapnel or 

 creeper-sinker as used off Dartmouth. No. 2 is a good size, 

 with leads from three to six pounds, for the offing Whiting- 

 fishing, for hand-line Congering, or for a trot or bulter for Bass 

 in a harbour. No. 3 is a suitable line for inshore Whiting, 

 Pout, and Dab-fishing. No. 4 is the double flax or cotton 



