HOW TO CAST A FLY-LINE. 99 



able degree of dexterity, and a vast deal of practice ; but 

 he who approaches nearest to perfection in this art will 

 be the best fisher. Another point of the greatest import- 

 ance, is to be most careful to keep the corporeal structure 

 concealed from view ; as all fish, excepting the shark 

 tribe, regard the appearance of man, whatever be the 

 cut of his garb, with unmitigated horror and distrust ; 

 and however complacently the dandified disciple of 

 Walton may regard his own reflection in the watery 

 mirror, and whatever amount of bear's grease and 

 Macassar he may have consumed in his toilet, let him 

 rest assured that the fish will dart off at the first peep of 

 his phiz, as from the presence of an ogre. 



I would recommend the beginner to commence fly-cast- 

 ing with the assistance of a moderate breeze from behind, 

 blowing across and rather obliquely down the stream, on 

 his left cheek, when he must proceed thus : With a line 

 about twice the length of the rod (as none can make a fine 

 cast with a short line, which obeys too much the spring 

 of the rod, like a whip), raise its point so that the wind 

 may carry the line out to its full extent, and move it by 

 a rather quick motion of the right arm and wrist down 

 wind, until it is opposite the right side (supposing, as I 

 have said, that the wind is blowing on the left cheek, as 

 the angler faces the river) ; but, on the other hand, only 

 as far as opposite to his left breast, if the wind is blowing 

 on his right cheek ; remembering that, at the same time, 

 the rod must be lowered into a nearly horizontal position 

 during the sweep from right to left, or vice versa. On 

 the arrival of the rod straight opposite either side, as the 



