AMERICA'S FISHERIES 163 



men bait and coil the gear for the next day's fishing. 

 Vessels fishing far from the home port usually salt 

 their catches, and thus are able to remain on the 

 banks until their vessel is filled. 



A few fishermen still fish by means of hand-lines 

 from dories. Each hand-line is equipped with two or 

 three hooks and a lead sinker. Usually one man 

 fishes from a dory, using several lines at a time. 

 Fish caught on hand-lines are somewhat superior to 

 those caught on long-lines, probably because they do 

 not remain on the hook so long. 



The great danger in fishing in dories comes from 

 sudden storms and fogs. In such cases the schooners 

 have great difficulty in finding their dories. Fisher- 

 men lost in this way have been known to row without 

 food or water 175 miles back to land. Fishing in 

 winter on the banks is about as hazardous an occu- 

 pation as can be conceived. Many of the Newfound- 

 land banks lie in the path of the transatlantic liners, 

 thus adding the peril of being run down by some 

 great ship. Nothing will bring fishermen out of 

 their bunks quicker than the fog-horn of a ship close 

 at hand. Often the schooners are becalmed and lie 

 helpless, unable to get out of the way. 



The American fishing schooners are the finest 

 commercial sailing-vessels in the world. They are 

 able to withstand severe storms, but even then many 

 are wrecked every year by the terrific storms of the 

 North Atlantic. One of the most dangerous places is 

 Sable Island, where dozens of wrecked schooners lie 

 partially exposed to view. Dense fogs, heavy seas, 

 exceptionally high tides, and the rock-bound coast 



