ROD AND TACKLE 35 



amount of such rough usage will be successfully with- 

 stood. The working also facilitates the extraction of 

 air under the pump, and will frequently betray the 

 presence of a small quantity of wet oil, which, when a 

 line has not been thoroughly dried, works its way to 

 the surface and gives timely notice that the line must 

 be hung up again before the next coat is applied." 



" After the fourth or fifth coat the "process of rubbing 

 down may be begun, and until quite the later stages 

 are reached a piece of loofah is as good a material to 

 use as one could desire. In rubbing down a line, 

 should it not be possible to stretch it at full length, 

 place it on an ordinary collapsible line dryer, taking a 

 turn of the line round the handle of the winder to 

 keep it taut, then hold the line between the thumb and 

 forefinger of the left hand, giving it a twisting motion 

 backwards and forwards, and at the same time rub it 

 up and down briskly with the loofah, held in the right 

 hand. If there be any very rough places which will 

 not yield to this treatment a piece of the very finest 

 glass-paper may be used ; but this is heroic treatment, 

 and the utmost care must be taken not to rub too long 

 or too roughly lest the fabric itself of the line be 

 frayed. After the eighth or ninth coat has been 

 applied something finer must be used for rubbing down, 

 and in order to get a really good surface to the line 

 pumice powder should be mixed up into a paste with 

 water and rubbed on with a piece of flannel, the 

 pumice being well washed out of the line afterwards. 

 When all the interstices of the silk have been filled up 



