Page 419 - The Ashley Book of Knots

THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS

2551. As a trick the foregoing seems preferable to this \\'hich

follo\\'s, for the reason that 1\\"() H.\LF HITCHES is the commonest

of all hitches; but the fact remains that they capsize into a LFFr-

HA:->D BO\\"LINE, which is scorned by the sailor. The RI(;IlT-llA:-in

BO\\"LI:->E, \\'hich is a real sailor's knot, mav be made in a m:ll1J1er

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similar to )Ij! 2 H9 but is commenced with RHERSED HALF Il11ClIES.

The latter is a knot that is occ:lsionall y used ashore but is seldom

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seen aboard ship. In performing the knot as a trick the same "busi-

ness" and "patter" are used and the knot tied in the same way as

25 s:t )Ij! 254-9·

2552. A SQUARE KNOT may be capsized into RHERSED HALF

HITCIlES, and under some circumstances this is a very practical \\'ay

to make the knot. When tied as a trick, the audience should be re-

quested to name the knot that is being tied. After they have an-

nounced that it is a SQUARE KNOT, the performer examines it with

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l~ some surprise and is forced to announce that it is something (Iuite

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different, in fact REVERSED HALF HITCHES.

2553. A GRANNY KNOT capsizes into Two HALF HITCHES. As Two

HALF HITCHES is more common, and the name much better known

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to the layman than the last, this perhaps provides the better trick.

Most of the audience will be able to recognize and namc the GRAl':-iY,

which is first tied. When the performer produces the T\\'o HALF

" HITCHES, the finished knot proves equally familiar. If thc single jerk,
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which is all that is required to effect the change, is somewhat ob-

scured, th€ mystification is complete and the fact that most every-
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one knows both these knots adds greatly to the interest.

2554. The JUG or JAR SUNG (#1142) is a highly specialized knot

that serves one exceedingly practical purpose. But it is little known to

the general public. Years ago I carried an alcohol cookstove in my boat,

and one day I cruised into a small Cape Cod harbor where I replenished

2553 my supply of fuel at the local drugstore. Someone bc.:ame interested

in the JUG SUNG KNOT that I had on my one-gallon bottle, and to

demonstrate its security I swung the bottle around and over my head,

and of course up over the glass counters, much as one would whirl an

Indian club. I was intent on my demonstration and the barks and

screams of the druggist at first failed to distract me. It seemed that he

resented the pcrformanee but dared not physically interfere for fear of

precipitating a catastrophe. I have always attributed my safe exit from

, the shop to the presence of mind which prompted me to continue to

oscillate the bottle until I was well outside the door.

I believe that a knowledge of this particular knot would have

been of great value to that druggist. It would have helped him to

market larger and fuller bottles. Moreover a demonstration now and

then, of the sort that I had afforded, would undoubtedly have

brought trade to his door.

2555. The MAGNUS or ROLLING HITCH is an exceedingly prac-ical

knot that is easily converted into a trick. Its success depends on the

glibness of the performer.

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