182 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



bulk and weight, making it much less portable, and that of itself 

 is often no small inconvenience. In working the dredge, the more 

 important objection to a thick rope is the greater action the cur- 

 rents have upon it. On the other hand, the rope must not be too 

 small, independent of its strength, as it is difficult to get a finn 

 grasp of a small roj)e. One an inch and a half in circumference 

 answers very well, and is strong enough for any strain likely to 

 be put upon it, and is not over half the weight of ropes usually 

 employed for dredging purposes. 



Wlien the dredge is thrown overboard, allow it to sink to the 

 bottom before commencing to pull; pull with, the tide; or, if to 

 suit circumstances, pull across it, but never against it, if such 

 can be avoided, particularly in deep water. When working 

 with both wind and tide in your favour, much labour is saved. 

 When the dredge is found not to grip, more rope may be used 

 with advantage, but when too much is given, it becomes difficult 

 to pull the dredge, which may become fast altogether, and have to 

 be relieved by shortening the rope ; or instead of more rope, the 

 same purpose may be gained by pulling less strongly, or by 

 ceasing altogether for a few minutes till the dredge settles down. 

 If it is wished to alter the course of the boat while the dredge 

 is down, do not try to do so with a tight rope; pull the boat back 

 over the dredge, and the slack of the rope thus made will allow it 

 to be done with ease. 



The Board. — I may now allude to the board that is generally 

 used for examining the contents of the dredge, and which is 

 indispensable for comfortable dredging. It should be as long as 

 to extend a few inches over both sides of the boat near the stern. 

 A board measuring four feet long by one and a-half broad, 

 having a slip of wood about an inch high along each side, will, 

 in most cases, be found suitable. The board is further serviceable 

 for packing dredge, ropes, and other traps upon for transmission. 

 Another useful auxiliary to the dredge is a pair of sieves — a 

 coarse and a fine — the former to put within the latter, with which 

 the obscuring mud can be washed away, and the coarse material 

 separated from the fine; thus clean and assorted examination is 

 rendered comparatively easy. 



AVhen the more minute objects are wanted, a successful plan 

 with dredged material, laminaria roots, shell debris, etc., is to 

 take them home in a pail of water, and transfer them to a white 



