224 REV. K. COTVE ON THE WHITE-FISHERY 



tliroe and a half feet long, and the hooks are laid in separate rows at 

 the other end, wliich is of a jflattish form for the purpose, with fog 

 beneath them, and generally also between the rows. The bait used 

 at Berwick is limpet and lug-worm. Mussels were once very much 

 used, but they are not now to be had in sufficient numbers for the 

 purpose. The limpets are taken out of the shell about two hours 

 or so before being put upon the hooks, when they are put into clean 

 milk-warm water to render them soft. If put on the hooks imme- 

 diately after being taken out of the shell, the fish will not take them. 

 They are also not very fond of them when they lie so long in the 

 water before being put on as to swell too much and burst. When 

 only three or four miles from the shore, the lug-worm is so much 

 sujierior to the limpet, that double the quantity of fish is taken by it ; 

 but at a much greater distance out at sea, the difference is scarcely 

 perceptible. The fish off there do not seem to be so nice as those 

 which are near the land, and which pick up some of the crumbs that 

 fall from the table of that cooking animal man. At Burnmouth and 

 Eyemouth, from the scarcity of limpets, and having no lug- worm, they 

 use a good deal of bullock's liver for bait, which is found to do very 

 well. When the bait is old and stinking, very few fish are taken ; 

 and accordingly, the fishermen are in the habit of baring their lines, 

 and putting on fresh bait, when the Aveather prevents them from get- 

 ting out while the bait is in proper condition. In winter, the bait 

 will keep on the lines a whole week, but in warm weather, a single 

 day is enough to damage it. 



When the fishing-ground is reached, a large stone is let down with 

 a small rope fixed to it, to which the line is fastened, aod a buoy 

 floats above it, that they may know where to find it after the lines are 

 all out. The basket is so put that the end which contains the hooks 

 rests on the boat's gunwale, and the line is thrown out in regular 

 order by the skipper, while the rest of the crew row the boat with the 

 necessary speed, and in the right direction. Each man has a line, and 

 when the first one is nearly out, the next is fastened to it, and cast out 

 in like manner, and so on till the whole lines are out. A stone and 

 buoy are put at the end of the last line, as with the first. The line 

 next the boat to-day is second to-morrow, and so on in rotation, to 

 make the risk equal. The lines, when shot by the oars, as is the case 

 with cobles, are made to form the figure of an ellipse ; so that nearly 

 one-half of them are put out in opposite directions. When the last 

 lino is out, they immediately proceed to the first, being directed by the 

 buoy, and forthwith pull them all up in succession, taking whatever fish 

 happen to be on them ; and then go on shore. The lines literally fish 

 themselves. When the weather is hazy, and the buoy cannot be seen, 

 they do not leave the last line at all, but tide their lines, as it is called, 

 that is, they wait tiU the lines last shot have been so long in the water 



