in
unfrequented waters prefers the bait; and the rural people, whose sole
object in going a-fishing appears to be to catch fish, indulge them in
their primitive state for the worm. No sportsman, however, will use
anything but a fly except he happens to be alone." Speaking of rods, he
says:

"The rod is a bamboo weighing seven ounces, which has to be spliced
with a winding of silk thread every time it is used. This is a tedious
process; but, by fastening the joints in this way, a uniform spring is
secured in the rod. No one devoted to high art would think of using a
socket joint."

One summer during a seven weeks' tour in the Northern Wilderness, my
only rod was a 7 1/2 foot Henshall. It came to hand with two bait-tips
only; but I added a fly-tip and it made an excellent "general fishing
rod." With it I could handle a large bass or pickerel; it was a capital
bait-rod for brook trout; as fly-rod it has pleased me well enough. It
is likely to go with me again. For reel casting, the 5 1/2 foot rod is
handier. But it is not yet decided which is best and I leave every man
his own opinion. Only, I think one rod enough, but have always had more.

And don't neglect to take what sailors call a "ditty-bag." This may be
a little sack of chamois leather about 4 inches wide by 6 inches in
length. Mine is before me as I write. Emptying the contents, I find it
inventories as follows: A dozen hooks, running in size from small
minnow hooks to large Limericks; four lines of six yards each, varying
from the finest to a size sufficient for a ten-pound fish; three
darning needles and a few common sewing needles; a dozen buttons;
sewing silk; thread and a small ball of strong yarn for darning socks;
sticking salve; a bit of shoemaker's wax; beeswax; sinkers and a very
fine file for sharpening hooks. The ditty-bag weighs, with contents, 2
1/2 ounces; and it goes in a small buckskin bullet pouch, which I wear
almost as constantly as my hat. The pouch has a sheath strongly sewed
on the back side of it, where the light hunting knife is always at
hand, and it also carries a two-ounce vial of fly medicine, a vial of
"pain killer," and two or three gangs of hooks on brass wire snells--of
which, more in another place. I can always go down into that pouch for
a waterproof match safe, strings, compass, bits of linen and scarlet
flannel (for frogging), copper tacks and other light duffle. It is
about as handy a piece of woods-kit as I carry.

I hop