RIVER FISH AND FISHING. 879 
then hold one end in the left hand and form a simple slip- 
knot upon it, turn the other end to the right and do the 
same thing, then draw the two together, and the knot is 
complete; by whipping with fine waxed silk this knot is 
made still more firm. The advantage of this knot is that 
it will never give way to a direct pull, and yet may always 
be undone without difficulty. 
The accessories to the line are the float, and the 
shot or leads. These are used in bottom-fishing only, 
and are intended to keep the hook at a certain distance 
from the bottom. The float is either of quill or cork, and 
is fixed upon the line by a ring at one end and a sliding- 
quill at the other. The shot are partially split and then 
brought together again upon the line. In this way, by 
plumbing the depth of the water, and adjusting the float 
so as to keep the bait at a certain depth, the object of the 
bottom-fisher is attained. 
Box-swivels and hook-swivels may be readily un- 
derstood from their name, and are used in spinning tackle, 
in order to prevent the line from twisting. 
Gimp is composed of silk or other material strong 
enough to resist any straining force applied to it, and pro- 
tected from the teeth of the fish, or from sharp stones, by 
fine brass wire neatly wound round. It is made of va- 
rious sizes and strength. 
THE ROD. 
The rod is the machine with which the line is con- 
veyed to the place where the fish is the most likely to take 
