h beneath the turns (Fig. 102).

[Illustration: FIG. 101.--Necklace tie.]

[Illustration: FIG. 102.--Close band.]

End pointings are very useful as well as ornamental, for while an
ordinary seizing or whipping will prevent the strands from
unravelling, the ends are broad and clumsy and oftentimes are too
large to pass through a block or eye large enough for the rest of the
rope. The ordinary way of pointing a rope is to first whip as
described (Fig. 4), and then unlay the end as for the Flemish eye.
Take out about two-thirds of the yarns and twist each in two. Take two
parts of different yarns and twist together with finger and thumb,
keeping the lay on the yarn and thus forming left-handed stuff known
as "nettles." Comb out the rest of the yarn with a knife, leaving a
few to lay back upon the rope. Now pass three turns of twine like a
timber-hitch tightly around the part where the nettles separate and
fasten the twine, and while passing this "warp" lay the nettles
backward and forward with each turn. The ends are now whipped with
twine or yarn and finally "snaked," which is done by taking the end
under and over the outer turns of the seizing alternately. If the rope
is small a stick is often put in the upper part to strengthen it or
the tip maybe finished with a small eye. If properly done a pointed
rope is very handsome and appears as in _B_, Fig. 103. Another simple
way of finishing a rope end is to seize the end, as at _A_, Fig. 104,
and open out the strands, bring the strands back alongside the rope,
and whip the whole (Fig. 105).

[Illustration: FIG. 103.--Pointing a rope.]

[Illustration: FIG. 104.--Ending rope.]

[Illustration: FIG. 105.--Ending rope.]

Splicing is, in many cases, more useful and better than tying or
bending ropes together and a good splice always looks neater and more
ship-shape than a knot, no matter how well-made it may be. A person
familiar with splicing will turn in a splice almost as quickly as the
ordinary man can tie a secure knot, and in many cases, where the rope
must pass through sheaves or blocks, a splice is absolutely necessary
to fasten two ropes or two parts of a parted rope together. The
simplest of all splices is known as the "Short Splice" (Fig. 106).
This is made as follows: Untwist the ends of the rope for a few inches
and seize with twine to prevent further unwinding, as shown at _A_,
_A_; also seize the end of each strand to prevent unravelling and
grease or wax t