The Outfit — Rods. 41 



ferrule. If its principle of construction is wrong — ^if such 

 a ferrule will split or bend or throw apart, as claimed by- 

 its opponents, these defects, or some of them, should cer- 

 tainly have made themselves manifest. 



Such was not the case. They were as perfect in every 

 respect when I packed my rod to return home as when I 

 took them from the lathe and first put them on the rod; 

 and though no device whatever of any description was 

 used to prevent them from throwing apart, aside from the 

 cohesion due to their fit, not one of them ever started. 

 Indeed, I might add that within a week after my return, 

 and without alteration or repair, I loaned this rod to a 

 friend who was anxious to try his luck with salmon at 

 the same place, and who also used it during his fishing 

 without accident. 



"The proof of the pudding is in the eating." 



While the American angler will find the salmon-rods of 

 England and the Provinces considerably cheaper than 

 those made here,* I, notwithstanding, strongly recom- 

 mend that the preference be given to a domestic rod. 

 While the length and weight of English rods is in excess 

 of our needs, it cannot be denied that many of their 

 makers well know what the action of a fly-rod should be, 

 and how it is to be obtained. Their material, too, is gen- 

 erally excellent. But the American observer cannot but 

 wonder why a people who produce mechanics capable of 

 work so difficult and so exquisite as their gun-locks, for 



* I have recently seen American ash and lancewood ferruled sal- 

 mon-rods retailing for fifteen dollars, whicb seemed fairly to com- 

 pete even in this respect. They were really excellent rods — good 

 enough for any one. 



