Fishing Eods. 137 



clearly of the opinion that Phillippe'S son carelessly wrote 1866 in 

 place of 1846, and in fact I remember perfectly well that his 

 figures were pretty difficult to decipher." 



In order to confirm and substantiate the claim I made 

 for Phillippe, I subsequently corresponded with several of 

 his old fishing companions and friends, citizens of Baston, 

 Pa., with the result that I am now able to fix the date of 

 his first rods as early as 1845. 



At the World's Columbian Exposition, at Chicago, in 

 1893, 1 exhibited in my department an oil portrait of Sam- 

 uel Phillippe, together with several of his rods, one of 

 which is now in my possession. It is one of his first rods, 

 and is still in as good practical condition as when first 

 made. It is a trout fly rod, 11 feet 4 inches in length, 

 and weighs exactly 8 ounces. It is a perfectly propor- 

 tioned rod, as the following diameters show: Greatest 

 swell of butt, 1 inch; inside diameter of first ferrule, 

 5-16ths of an inch; of second ferrule, 3-16ths of an inch; 

 of extreme tip, 3-33ds of an inch. Length of reel seat, 

 3J inches; diameter, ll-16ths of an inch. Length of butt 

 handle, from reel seat to end, 10 inches, including the 

 iron thimble at end. If the end of butt was shortened, 

 as in modern rods, the weight would be reduced at least 

 1^ ounces. It is made of four sections of bamboo, except 

 the butt, which is of stained ash, and is neatly wrapped 

 with black silk on the bamboo Joints. The ferrules and 

 reel bands are brass. 



The other rods exhibited were of four and six sections or 

 strips throughout, including butt. One of the latter was 

 a very finely finished and handsome rod with solid silver 

 mountings, neatly engraved; it was accompanied by a reel 

 of mother of pearl, the only one I have ever seen. This 

 last was doubtless one of his later rods. 



