74 VIKINGS OF TO-DAY 



out head or tentacles. The beaks of these fish re- 

 semble a parrot's, and in large specimens are far 

 more solid than human teeth. 



Catching octopus is exciting work. A number of 

 row-boats are anchored close together outside some 

 point of land, and the fishermen are lazily jigging 

 up and down a little bright red leaden weight, brist- 

 ling with wire spikes. Suddenly a stir all are 

 working with might and main. A company of 

 squids are passing and flying on the jiggers like 

 vampires ; the red weights are being grabbed vora- 

 ciously. Beware as you get him on board. Suddenly 

 he relaxes his grasp, and shoots out a jet of ink, 

 which smarts considerably in one's eyes, and leaves 

 weird patterns on white linen. They swim back- 

 wards and at great pace after their prey. Salted 

 down, these squid fetch fifteen to fifty cents per 

 hundred. " Bankers " pay ten to twenty cents per 

 hundred. 



Caplin I have mentioned. They are taken in fine 

 meshed seine nets or in cast nets thrown from the 

 shoulder like the "retiarius " of old threw his. 



Herrings form a very excellent bait. They are 

 caught in gill nets anchored out in likely spots, and 

 these are emptied every day. Our English drift 

 nets are rendered impossible by the icebergs and 

 sudden storms, with no harbour lights in case of 

 emergency at night, and herring see the net in day- 

 time. Herrings have been kept frozen, and then 

 found to serve as excellent bait. A new way to 



