56 The American Salman-fisherman. 



angler makes use, the quality of which it is so diflScult to 

 determine by mere inspection. Few dealers dare to rely 

 altogether on their own unaided judgment, hut habitually 

 keep on hand samples of known quality, upon a compari- 

 son with which they largely depend. 



Though the directions of the books for this purpose 

 would lead one to suppose that the qualities desirable in 

 gut were many, in reality they are but two — ^length and 

 strength. The first may of course be decided at a glance. 

 All the other points to which attention is recommended, 

 are but symptoms froai which the strength of the gut is 

 to be diagnosed. 



Economy and prudence both require. that every salmon- 

 angler should make a hank of good gut part of his outfit. 

 The upper two thirds of a leader will still be perfectly 

 sound and reliable, when the lower third has become 

 frayed and unsafe. K it is merely a question of replacing 

 three or four feet of the outer end of a leader, it will 

 probably be done when it should be done — that is, at the 

 first indication that the strength of that part has become 

 impaired. But the high first cost, and the limited num- 

 ber usually in reserve, are apt to induce the angler to dis- 

 card a leader with reluctance, and only after he can no 

 longer coerce himself into believing it safe. 



Though I have not the most abiding confidence in the 

 practical value of printed directions for this purpose, still 

 I will do my best to aid in the selection of this hank of 

 gut. We face the strongest attainable light, and hold 

 the bundle of gut in front of us so that one end projects 

 toward the light and the other toward us, each hand 

 holding an end of the bundle. We now bring our hands 

 toward one another, thus compelling the strands to sepa- 



