FISHING-VILLAGES AND FISHING-IMPLEMENTS IN DENMARK. 177 



be asleep with the exception of the two standing on a board stretched 

 across the boat to keep a lookout. Everything, however, is prepared ; 

 the oars are in their places, and the stones are prepared, which are 

 thrown into the water for the purpose of chasing the fish into the net. 

 The two uien stand on the board motionless as statues, straining their 

 eyes to see in the distance the faint and indistinct shadow appearing 

 on the surface of the sea, occasioned by the approach of a school of fish. 

 For hours they may be observed standing thus, unmindful of wind and 

 weather. Suddenly one of the men raises his arm, and immediately, 

 but silently, every man is at his post. He hurls a stone a great dis- 

 tance, then another, constantly nearer in order to drive the school 

 toward the net. Now 7 the fish are inside the bay forformed by 

 the net "How!" is the order given, and the oars dip into the water. 

 The former silence is now changed to a scene so wild and picturesque 

 that one would scarcely believe that all this commotion is only produced 

 by some hornfish. All are on the alert, and every order given by the 

 commander is executed with the greatest swiftness and precision. 

 When the boats have approached each other, and the fish are conse- 

 quently entirely surrounded, but by no means caught as yet, the net is 

 carefully drawn together, so that the inner space becomes smaller and 

 smaller. The fish now try to slip out beneath the boats, but the fisher- 

 men are at their post, and by shouting and splashing they chase the 

 frightened fish back. After such unsuccessful attempts to escape, the 

 whole school frequently turns the other way, pushing with all their might 

 against the net. This is the moment for which the commander has been 

 eagerly waiting. "Draw together !" he shouts, and with a desperate 

 pull the net is entirely closed, heavy with the splashing fish, and is soon 

 drawn up into the boats. 



There is, of course, the greatest difference in the number of fish con- 

 tained in different schools. Sometimes there are only a few, and, at 

 otLer times, one school will more than fill two boats. In this latter case 

 the contest becomes more animated, and to a person who sees it for the 

 first time it looks like a desperate combat between the crews of the 

 different boats, never failing to attract a large number of spectators. 

 The most animated spectacle is presented when the fishermen make 

 the so called " Hage-stretch," i. c, when they are forced by the current 

 past the promontory called " LTage," in order to catch the fish which 

 are just being driven back from the south. The boats shoot through 

 the foaming waves with fearful rapidity, and it requires a great amount 

 of skill, strength, and courage to obtain a favorable result. One little 

 mistake, an order given or executed too soon or too late, is sufficient to 

 frustrate the whole scheme. To make this stretch is therefore consid- 

 ered the crucial test for all fishermen on the coas% and unless oue has 

 accomplished this feat he is not esteemed very highly by his comrades. 

 Affairs become still more complicated when there are two schools com- 

 ing on at the same time, for if one turns to the right, the other is sure 

 12 F 



