Hemp, considered such a strategic resource that at one time some laws in the US mandated that all land owners grow it, or linen were both tarred, more like saturated with pine oil, to create traditional Marline. This was used on ships for hundreds of years and was used for lashings, tying off and just about any other use. single-strand break strength was likely several hundred pounds and the tar made gripping it easy and kept it from rotting.