THE COAST OF BERWICKSHIRE. 225 



b&? been BO long; in the water as to have time to pick up the fish on 

 (In Around, ;nid then the lines are drawn in in the reverse order to 

 what they were put out. In large herring-boats, such as those used 

 at Kyemouth and Burnmouth at the haddock-fishing, as they are not 

 m.-in.-iiveable by oars like small cobles, the lines are shot in one direc- 

 tion with the sail, and are pulled in in the same manner. The di- 

 rection which they take is determined by the way in which the wind 

 is blowing, that they may be able to sail both in shooting and haul- 

 ing their lines. In such boats the lines are never shot right before 

 the wind, for the reason assigned. When the wind shifts before they 

 have secured them all, and blows violently, they frequently lose them, 

 being unable to get them in. 



The skipper or steersman is the person whose office it is to shoot 

 and haul in the lines. It is a ticklish office for the fingers, as they 

 come very frequently in contact with the hooks. It belongs to the 

 man who sits next the skipper to take the fish off the hooks as they 

 come into the boat. This is very dirty work, and requires consider- 

 able expertnoss when the fish are abundant. 



Cod-fish are taken on the same lines, but when they are plentiful 

 the fishermen put in stronger haddock-lines, as they easily break the 

 hooks and wips of the finer lines. Codlings also are taken on the 

 same lines, but they generally are found much nearer the shore, and 

 on hard rocky ground. Besides the kind of bait mentioned above 

 used on these lines, herrings cut into pieces fit for the size of the hook 

 are found very attractive for the fish ; but they are seldom to be had 

 at the time of the cod and haddock-fishing. 



Another class of lines is in use, of a much stronger description than 

 the above, for taking cod-fish, ling, halibut, and skate. They are 

 used in summer, in addition to those already described, and are called 

 great lines. The hooks are large and strong, and set at a distance of 

 four fathoms from each other. These lines are not brought on shoro 

 every day, but are baited in the boat, and remain out the whole sea- 

 son. The bait consists of haddocks cut in two, flounders, and other 

 small fish. 



A great many skate are generally got on these large lines during 

 the first few days after they are set, till the ground is cleared, and 

 then they become much less abundant; a fact which shews that they 

 are not of a roving disposition. And so prodigious is the power of 

 those monsters, that, on the occurrence of a storm, which prevents the 

 lines from being pulled in for a few days after they are first set, they 

 frequently drag the lines to a considerable distance in their attempts 

 to disentangle themselves. All the fish have a different tug or pull, 

 so that the fisherman can distinguish at once if more than one is on the 

 lino bet \MVII his hand and the bottom of the sea. The largo fish arc 

 hooked when they reach the surface of the water, and drawn into the 



