37 1 WHALING AND FISHING. 



them apart, and prevent the inevitable consequen 

 ces of a collision, a general smash-up of masts, 

 booms, bulwarks, etc. Yet a great fish-day lika 

 this rarely passes off without some vessels sus- 

 taining serious damage. We thread our way 

 ttmong the vessels with as much care, and as dain- 

 tily as a man would walk over ground covered 

 with eggs ; and finally get into a berth under lee 

 of a vessel which seems to hold the fish pretty 

 well. Here we fish away by spells, for they have 

 become "spirty," that is, they are capricious, and 

 appear and disappear suddenly. 



Meanwhile the rain continues pouring out of 

 the leaden sky, which looks as though about to 

 fall on us, and overwhelm us in a second deluge. 

 The wind is getting high ; and the old hands are 

 debating among themselves as to the most judi- 

 cious port to be made to-night. At ten we get 

 breakfast, consisting of coffee, hot cakes, bread 

 and butter, fish, beef, sweet cakes, and apple 

 sauce. The morning's exercise has given us all a 

 ravenous appetite, and the celerity with which 

 the various comestibles spread out for us by the 

 cook are made to disappear, would astonish ? 

 dyspeptic. 



After breakfast, we begin to clear up decks a 

 little, preparatory to experiencing some part of 

 the rough weather which is brewing. Oil clothes 

 are in great demand, but the rain somehow con- 

 trives to soak through them, and they form but 

 little protection. We secure our mackerel barrels 



