LINE-FISHING. 141 



from their being knocked about in the vessel during 

 bad weather. This cannot be avoided, when there are 

 many fish on board ; but they are taken out at once and 

 packed in ice ; and each line-smack on returning to 

 port, generally has a number of sucli fish preserved in 

 that manner, including also cod, ling, and haddock 

 which were not considered lively enough to put into the 

 well when they were taken off the hook. It is no 

 uncommon thing, however, for a smack to return from 

 the Dogger with from twenty to twenty- five score of 

 fine live cod, besides perhaps two-thirds of that number 

 of fish in ice. Holibuts are commonly taken by these 

 longlines, and they are easily kept alive in the well, 

 and fetch a good price in the Grimsby market, where 

 they are known by the familiar abbreviation of " buts." 

 The cost of these welled-smacks is considerably greater 

 than that of " dry -bottomed " vessels of the same size ; 

 and although it is difficult to understand why the con- 

 struction of the well should be so expensive, there is 

 nevertheless a difference of about 300/. between the first 

 cost of a welled-smack and of a trawler of the larger 

 class — about 68 tons N.M. ; the former amountine- to 

 1500Z., and the latter to 1200/. The working expenses 

 of the line vessel are also heavier than those of the 

 trawlers. Each cod-smack carries from nine to eleven 

 hands, of whom six or seven are apprentices of different 

 ages. The principle of paying by shares, so general 

 among the trawlers, except in the case of the Barking 

 men, is only adopted by the owners of line vessels for 

 the payment of the captain. He receives nine per cent, 

 of the proceeds of the " voyage "; but weekly wages are 

 paid to the others, the mate getting 225. and the men 

 2O5. each; the apprentices receive from 41. to 10/. a 

 year according to their length of service. Provisions 



