will hold forever without loosening, and even on a smooth, round stick
or spar it will stand an enormous strain without slipping. A more
secure knot for this same purpose is the "Clove Hitch" (Fig. 36),
sometimes known as the "Builders' Hitch." To make this, pass the end
of rope around the spar or timber, then over itself; over and around
the spar, and pass the end under itself and between rope and spar, as
shown in the illustration. The Clove hitch with ends knotted becomes
the "Gunners' Knot" (Fig. 37). These are among the most valuable and
important of knots and are useful in a thousand and one places. The
Clove hitch will hold fast on a smooth timber and is used extensively
by builders for fastening the stageing to the upright posts. It is
also useful in making a tow-line fast to a wet spar, or timber, and
even on a slimy and slippery spile it will seldom slip. For this
purpose the "Timber Hitch" (Fig. 38) is even better than the Clove
hitch. It is easily made by passing the end of a rope around the spar
or log, round the standing part of the rope and then twist it three or
more times around, under and over itself. If you wish this still more
secure, a single half-hitch may be taken with the line a couple of
feet further along the spar (Fig. 39).

[Illustration: FIG. 30.--Lark's head with toggle (_A_).]

[Illustration: FIG. 31.--Lark's head with toggle (_A_) withdrawn.]

[Illustration: FIG. 32.--Slippery hitch (complete).]

[Illustration: FIG. 33--Slippery hitch (tying).]

[Illustration: FIGS. 34 and 35.--Half-hitches.]