224 REV. H. COWE ON THE WHITE-FISHERY ON 



throe and a half feet long-, and the hooks arc laid in separate rows at 

 the other end, which is of a flattish form for the purpose, with fog 

 beneath them, and generally also between the rows. The bait used 

 at Berwick is limpet and lug-worm. Muscles were once very much 

 used, but they are not now to be had in sufficient numbers for the 

 purpose. The limpets are taken out of the shell about two hours 

 or so before being put upon the hooks, when they are put into clean 

 milk-warm water to render them soft. If put on the hooks imme- 

 diately after being taken out of the shell, the fish will not take them. 

 They are also not very fond of them when they lie so long in the water 

 before being put on as to swell too much and burst. When only three 

 or four miles from the shore, the lug-worm is so much superior to the 

 limpet, that double the quantity of fish is taken by it ; but at a much 

 greater distance out at sea, the difference is scarcely perceptible. 

 The fish off there do not seem to be so nice as those which are near 

 the land, and which pick up some of the crumbs that fall from the 

 table of that cooking animal man. At Burnmouth and Eyemouth, 

 from the scarcity of limpets, and having 110 lug-worm, they use a 

 good deal of bullock's liver for bait, which is found to answer very 

 well. When the bait is old and stinking, very few fish are taken ; 

 and accordingly, the fishermen are in the habit of baring their lines, 

 and putting on fresh bait, when the weather prevents them from get- 

 ting out while the bait is in proper condition. In winter, the bait 

 will keep on the lines a whole week, but in warm weather, a single 

 day is enough to damage it. 



When the fishing-ground is reached, a large stone is let down with 

 a small rope fixed to it, to which the line is fastened, and a buoy 

 floats above it, that they may know where to find it after the lines are 

 all out. The basket is so put that the end which contains the hooks 

 rests on the boat's gunwale, and the line is thrown out in regular or- 

 der by the skipper, while the rest of the crew row the boat with the 

 necessary speed, and in the right direction. Each man has a line, 

 and when the first one is nearly out, the next is fastened to it, and 

 cast out in like manner, and so on till the whole lines are out. A 

 stone and buoy are put at the end of the last line, as with the first. 

 The line next the boat to-day is second to-morrow, and so on in rota- 

 tion, to make the risk equal. The linos, when shot by the oars, as is 

 the case with cobles, are made to form the figure of an ellipse ; so 

 that nearly one-half of them are put out in opposite directions. When 

 the last line is out, they immediately proceed to the first, being di- 

 rected by the buoy, and forthwith pull them all up in succession, 

 taking whatever fish happen to be on them ; and then go on shore. 

 The lines literally fish themselves. When the weather is hazy, and 

 the buoy cannot be seen, they do not leave the last line at all, but 

 tide their lines, as it is called, that is, they wait till the lines last shot 



