VOYAGE OF THE GERMANIA AND HANSA. 35 



of our seamen at home, wlio thought fit to look upon 

 our voyage with indifference or derision, would have been 

 thoroughly put to shame by these simple Dutch fisher- 

 men. And the captain did not forget, immediately 

 upon running his craft into the harbour, to enter his 

 meeting with the Germania in the Shipping News ; this 

 notice being the first news of the expedition seen in 

 the papers. 



These fishermen, with their old-fashioned craft, hang 

 about the banks of the North Sea for weeks together. 

 They fish with the line and the net, and catch turbot, 

 soles, and cod more particularly. These are at once 

 cleaned, cut into suitable pieces, salted in barrels, and then 

 packed. When they have a good cargo they run into 

 harbour, unload, and run out again. This practice they 

 carry on as long as the weather will allow. For many 

 years their captains and their steersmen have been fami- 

 liar with the neighbourhood of the North Sea, and often, 

 from hard-earned experience, know better than the most 

 learned seaman how to take their bearings. Nautical 

 instruments they do not use ; they do not even under- 

 stand them. According to the depth of the line and the 

 nature of the matter brought up from the bottom by the 

 lead, they know their whereabouts. 



With a light breeze rising, we continued our course, 

 and about noon our sister-ship joined us. Captain 

 Hegemann and Dr. Laube came on board, while Mr. 

 Sengstacke and Dr. Pansch went over to the Hansa 

 to shake hands with their friends once more. 



"It was interesting" (writes Dr. Pansch) "to see, 

 from another ship, the Germania under sail, with her 

 peculiar build, strong masts, and black body without any 



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