84 DEEP-SEA FISHING. 



that there is little hope for her if she cannot face the 

 terrific gales which sometimes blow there. Good craft 

 as they are, and with stout hearts on hoard, the weather 

 sometimes overpowers them, and a winter rarely passes 

 without bringing* news of some smack being missing, 

 with trouble and mourning for the survivors of those 

 hardy fishermen who have perished with her. In the 

 disastrous gale of the 26th of November, 1863, no less 

 than seven trawlers belonging to Hull alone, and each 

 with a crew of five hands, were totally lost, and nearly 

 twenty others were afterwards towed into harbour 

 disabled. 



But if they have sometimes more wind there than 

 they want, they are rarely compelled by a continuance 

 of calms to remain very long idle. There is generally 

 wind enough for them to work with, especially as soles 

 or other kindred fish, abundant on those grounds, do 

 not require any great speed in the vessel. The supply 

 of fish from tlie North Sea, therefore, is in general 

 tolerably steady, unless during the prevalence of un- 

 usually bad weather ; and a large proportion of the 

 trawl-fish regularly brought to market is now caught 

 north of the Thames. 



The depth of water in which the trawlers work when 

 on the usual off-shore grounds is very rarely so much as 

 50 fathoms ; and taking the various fishing grounds 

 around the coast most of the trawling is done in between 

 20 and 30 fathoms. There are some exceptions, how- 

 ever, and notably among them are the famous Silver 

 Pits in the North Sea, in a depth of 50 fathoms; but 

 fishing is not carried on there constantly, as the produc- 

 tiveness of the locality is dependent on the coldness of 

 the season, which drives fish of all kinds, and especially 

 the soles, into the deep water. 



