NATURAL FEATURES 15 



"fish." In summer they come into shallow water, 

 first in pursuit of a small fish known as "caplin," 

 and then remain probably to spawn before seeking the 

 deeper water in winter. It is unlikely that in their 

 migrations they cross any large portion of the Atlantic. 



The caplin come to the shallow water in count- 

 less myriads to spawn. They are somewhat like a 

 sardine, only a little larger. At times they blacken 

 the water, and so crowd one another as they swim 

 along the very edge of the water in calm weather 

 that every ripple of the sea leaves numbers strug- 

 gling on the beach, till at times the whole beach is 

 hidden by dead and dying fish. Further north these 

 caplin visit the shore later in the year. They are 

 followed always by immense numbers of cod. I 

 have seen cod also so thick that even in deep water 

 there seemed no room for them, their backs being 

 constantly out of water. This is called the " caplin 

 school," and on the catch of cod during their visit 

 the success of a whole fishery will depend. 



While the " caplin school " lasts the most intense 

 excitement exists. The men will work day and 

 night, with scarcely an hour in twenty-four for 

 sleep, even eating their meals in their boats. The 

 cod at this time will not take bait, and are caught 

 in traps in the way described in a subsequent 

 chapter, or are hauled in a huge seine, by which a 

 "school" is surrounded. Alas, sometimes so many 

 icebergs are driven inshore, that the precious time 

 slips by without any opportunity of fishing, though 



