130 SEA-FISH. 
others throwing all around. Here, there is a right 
way, as well as a wrong. With a rod, the perform- 
ance presents no difficulty ; the lead is reeled up 
as close as possible to the top ring, and, if fishing 
with a Nottingham free-running winch, the angler 
has the chuice of throwing direct from the reel, 
easily done with a little practice (Do not prac- 
tise on the pier, but in a field or away up the 
beach) or from the coil, pulling a dozen fathoms 
(24 yards) of line off the reel and coiling it at his 
feet. When a sufficient impetus has been imparted 
to the lead, the finger which has previously re- 
strained the line by pressing it against the butt 
just above the reel, is removed, and the lead flies 
out, carrying the hooks to the right spot. It is 
without the rod, however, that an accurate throw 
demands some little skill. Five and twenty yards 
may in this case be taken off the winder and 
allowed to fall in natural coils on the ground, or 
stage ; the winder is next made secure to the chain 
or post; and, seeing that every one is standing 
clear, you grasp the line firmly in the right hand, 
and about a foot above the lead or top hook (if 
the hooks are above the lead), and swing it with 
your whole force in the desired direction. It is 
not necessary to swing it pendulum-fashion for 
some moments before letting go; nor, above all, 
can I recommend the dangerous fashion, particu- 
larly dear to small boys who have no control over 
the gymnastics of a pound of lead, of swinging it 
round the head horizontally, as if it were a bola, to 
be hurled at some luckless vicuna. I have often 
seen this done, and, the lead being released at the 
wrong moment, painful blows inflicted on those 
near at hand. 
