FIELD-FISHING. 261 



strik^ne", at a field, six fish at the same time, and 

 of succeeding in killing the whole. Generally 

 speaking, six boats at a field are capable of perform- 

 ing the same execution as near twice that number 

 in open situations. Besides, fields sometimes af- 

 ford an opportunity of fishing, when in any other 

 situation there can be little or no chance of success, 

 or, indeed, when to fish elsewhere is utterly im- 

 practicable. Thus calms, storms and fogs, are 

 great annoyances in the fishery in general, and fre- 

 quently prevent it altogether ; but at fields the 

 fishery goes on under any of these disadvantages. 

 As there are several important advantages attend- 

 ing the fishery at fields, so likewise there are some 

 serious disadvantages, — chiefly relating to the safety 

 of the ships engrged in the occupation. The motions 

 of fields are rapid, various, and unaccountable, and 

 the power with which they approach each other, 

 and squeeze every resisting object, immense, — hence 

 occasionally vast mischief is produced, which it is 

 not always in the power of the most skilful and at- 

 tentive master, to foresee or prevent. 



Such are the principal advantages and disadvan- 

 tages of fields of ice to the whale-fishers. The ad- 

 vantages, however, as above enumerated, though they 

 extend to large floes, do not extend to small floes, 

 or to such fields, how large soever they may be, as 

 contain cracks or holes, or are filled up with thin ice 

 in the interior. Large and firm fields are the most 



