PISHING IN FOGGY AVEATHER. 273 



in the face of the original capturers. A storm com- 

 inencing v.hile the boats are engaged with an en- 

 tangled fish, sometimes occasions serious disasters. 

 Generally, however, though they suffer the loss of 

 the fish, and perhaps some of their boats and mate- 

 rials, yet the men escape with their lives. 



6. Fishing in Foggy )Veathc7\ — The fishery in 

 storms, in exposed situations, can never be voluntary, 

 as the case only happens when a storm arises, subse- 

 quent to the time of a fish being struck ; but in foggy 

 weather, though occasionally attended with hazard, 

 the fishery is not altogether impracticable. The 

 fogs which occur in the icy regions in June and 

 July, are generally dense and lasting. They are so 

 thick, that objects cannot be distinguished at tlie 

 distance of 100 or 150 yards, and frequently con- 

 tinue for several days without attenuation. To fish 

 with safety and success, during a thick fog, is, there- 

 fore, a matter of difficulty, and of still greater un- 

 certainty. When it happens that a fish conducts 

 itself favourably, that is, descends almost perpendi- 

 cularly, and on its return to the surface remains 

 nearly stationary, or moves round in a small circle, 

 the capture is usually accomplished without hazard 

 or particular difficulty : but when, on the con- 

 trary, it proceeds with any considerable velocity 

 in a horizontal direction, or obliquely dovv nwards, 

 it soon drags the boats out of sight of the ship, 

 and shortly so confounds the fisliers in the intensity 



VOL. II. s 



