246 DEEP-SEA FISHING. 



delivery, he bad every inducement to press his vessel 

 to her utmost. Time is of course important still, but 

 the loss of a day or two is not of so much consequence 

 as formerly ; for the fish will keep in good order for a 

 long time while packed in the ice. The danger now is 

 after the fish has arrived, for it will not keep long after 

 it has been taken out of the ice, if it happens to have 

 been packed for some time. Regularity in the supply 

 is therefore what is desired, so that there may be no 

 glut in the market. This has been so far accomplished 

 that the waste of fish from its being unfit for the table 

 has enormously decreased, although from the circum- 

 stances just mentioned it cannot always be avoided. 

 How far icing the fish destroys its flavour is another 

 question ; there seems to be no reason to think it makes 

 it less wholesome, and happily for the fishmongers the 

 large majority of fish consumers do not know what it 

 is to have their fish cooked as soon as it comes out of 

 the water. 



The number of hands carried by the Yarmouth 

 trawlers varies from five to ten ; the London fashion of 

 having a good many apprentices being continued in 

 the Thames vessels when sailing from Yarmouth ; and 

 a smaller number of boys in the smacks belonging to 

 the poi't. With the latter the share system of payment 

 is the usual one ; but in the Thames vessels, many of 

 which perhaps belong to the same owner, the hands 

 are paid regular wages according to custom ; the 

 master alone receiving an extra commission on the 

 proceeds of the catch. These men sign articles for six 

 weeks when sailing from Yarmouth^ and for eight 

 weeks from London. 



Besides the regular trawlers which are emjiloyed all 

 the year round, many of the drift-boats engage in that 



