EEL-NETTING. 2 17 



" It's lonesome work, sir," said one of the men to Frank, 

 who had drawn nearer the fire with a shudder. 



"Yes ; does it pay? J ' 



" Pretty well at times, sir. This is what we should call a 

 very fine night for our work, as the eels run so much better 

 than they do on a calm night. It will make some pounds 

 difference to us." 



" What do you do with the eels ?" 



" Some we sells at Norwich and Yarmouth, but the most part 

 goes to London or Birmingham. The Black Country men are 

 very fond of a nice rich eel ; but come, sir, it is time to take 

 up the first net now." 



They went down the black river again, until they came to the 

 buoy which marked the pocket, or *' cod/' as it is technically 

 termed, of the net. This was hauled up and detached from 

 the rest of the net. It was very heavy and full of eels, which 

 were wriggling about in a black slimy mass. They put the 

 mouth of the cod over a basket which was smaller at the top 

 than at the bottom, so that the eels could not crawl out, and 

 poured them into it. 



There were about thirty pounds weight of eels, the major 

 part being about a pound weight each, but some were two or 

 three pounds in weight. The cod was then tied on to the net 

 again and lowered, and the next net was visited in the same 

 way, and found to contain about the same quantity of eels. 



The nets were first laid about seven o'clock, and first taken 

 up about eight, and at intervals of an hour through the night 

 the nets were visited, and about the same quantity of eels 

 taken from them each time. This lasted up to half-past one 

 o'clock, and then there was a great falling off. 



" They have pretty well stopped coming down now, sir. 

 We can leave the nets and go and have some sleep. The nets 

 will hold all the eels which will get into them by the morning." 



" Did you ever meet with any accident while eel-fishing ? " 

 asked Dick. 



" I have only seen one, sir ; but that was a bad one. It was 

 the year before last, and my mate had had a drop too much, 

 and he overbalanced himself and fell overboard into the net, 

 and the stream carried him down it before I could catch hold 

 of him. There was no one to help me, and before I could get 

 the heavy net ashore he was dead. It was a fearful thing, and 



