TRAWLING. 79 



The next thing to be noticed is the lieaving up of tlie 

 trawl. When the tide has done, or the limits of the 

 fishing ground have been reached, the hands are tm-ned 

 np, the stopper of the trawl-warp is cast off, the slack 

 of the warp goes overboard, and the vessel swings 

 ronnd with lier head to the trawl, and very soon also 

 head to wind. This is the case with the Brixham 

 trawlers, which, as before mentioned, get in the warp 

 over the bow by a large winch. In the North Sea 

 smacks the warp comes in over the side, a large semi- 

 circular opening in some vessels, or a square gangway 

 in others, with a roller fitted in it, being made for that 

 purpose opposite the capstan. We are now speaking, 

 however, of the west-country vessels. The foresail and 

 any light sails being got in, the boy is sent below to 

 the rope-room just abaft the mast, and two hands go to 

 the winch to heave in the warp. This last is a tedious 

 process at the best of times, seldom occupying less than 

 three-quarters of an hour, and in bad weather some- 

 times taking two or three hours, the vessel rolling and 

 pitching heavily all the time. As the warp is brouglit 

 on board by the winch it is coiled away below by the 

 boy, so as to be ready when the net is to be again shot. 

 As soon as the shackle joining the warp to the main 

 bridles comes in, the end of the dandy bridle, which 

 was temporarily made fast above the shackle when the 

 net was lowered, is cast off, taken aft, and brought in 

 over the stern to the dandy wink or small windlass; 

 the men at the winch meanwhile go on heaving till the 

 beam appears at the surface ; it having been swung 

 alongside, the after end is hoisted up astern by the 

 dandy bridle and secured ; a tackle is then hooked on 

 to the fore end of the beam and hauled upon till the 

 head-iron is got over the gunwale and made fast 



