254 DEEP-SEA FISHING. 



and the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Rail- 

 ways runs close to the side of the wharf, so that the 

 fish can be loaded into the tracks with the greatest 

 facility. 



The scene on the wharf every day is a busy one, and 

 the quantity of fish displayed there makes one marvel 

 at the prices frequently obtained for it by the salesmen. 

 Cod are sold by the score of twenty fish, and they, with 

 ling and holibut, are disposed of by ordinary bidding ; 

 but trawl-fish are here, as elsewhere, sold by Dutch 

 auction. A lot of turbot, perhaps, is to be sold — the 

 salesman's bell is rung, and the stentorian voice of the 

 auctioneer is heard calling out, " Now then, turbot 

 buyers, turbot buyers, turbot buyers, come along, ye 

 turbot buyers!" A knot of people collects, and the 

 salesman descants in few words on the quality of the 

 fish ; a price is named — no one responds, or indeed is 

 expected to do so, for it begins too high for any deal- 

 ings ; it comes down by degrees until a nod from one 

 of the crowd closes the transaction, and the sale is 

 booked. Then calls may be made for " sole buyers," 

 "plaice buyei-s," " ling buyers," or "cod buyers," and 

 the work is rapidly got through, for there is no time to 

 be wasted over individual lots where there are so many 

 to be sold, packed, and sent away as soon as possible. 

 A great number of holibuts are brought in by the cod- 

 smacks, and these fish remain only a short time in the 

 dock before they are sold. In tlie meanwhile they are 

 secured by a line round the tail, and when watited 

 they are brought alive to the market, where they are 

 familiarly known as " butts." ^ 



The packages in which the trawl-fish are stowed 

 have lost much of their significance as denoting any 



^ At Billingsgate turbots are commonly spoken of as "butts." 



