198 



DEEP-SEA FISHING. 



The oyster fishery at Fahnoiith has not escaped the 

 depression which has been felt for some years past in 

 the trade generally ; but the ground on which they are 

 found is very extensive. The oysters are collected by 

 the dredgers, and sold to the merchants or dealers, who 

 lay them down on parts of the shore which have been 

 used for that purpose for a great number of years. 



Most of the dredging is done by 

 rowing boats ; a small anchor or 

 grapnel is let go, and 50 or 60 

 fithoms of rope paid out as the 

 l)oat is rowed astern ; the dredge 

 is then put over, and the boat 

 towing the dredge is hauled up to 

 the anchor by means of a small 

 wink fixed in the bow, and round 

 which the rojDe passes. This is a very old method with 

 the Falmouth dredgers. 



Wink in Dredging Boat. 



The section of the coast we now have to notice in- 

 cludes two stations which have long been famous as the 

 head-quarters of beam-trawling in the West. These are 

 Plymouth and Brixham ; the latter belonging to the 

 port of Dartmouth. Trawling no doubt was carried 



