"I FISH PLAYING UP 155 



'Aye. . . . Better to look. Aye!' 

 'Down with her then. Haul. All together !' 

 She Is rushed down stern first to the sea : never 

 mind about greasy ways for her to run on; seine- 

 boats have to stand some knocking-about. Two 

 or three men scramble aboard over the bows as 

 she takes the water. One man stands upright on 

 the net that is piled between the midship thwarts. 

 For a minute or two the others lie on their oars, 

 while the boat swims weightily on the gently 

 heaving sea. 



Not far from her — given good luck — the fish 

 break water again. The man on the net points to 

 them with a wide gesture which at the same time 

 points a course for the boat; jumps off his perch 

 on the seine, and prepares to shoot it. Spray 

 flies from the hastily, heavily dug oars. Ten to 

 one a thole-pin snaps. 'There they be I' sounds 

 for the last time, with less of anxiety and more of 

 triumph in its tone. 'There they be !' is echoed 

 from the gathering crowd on the beach. The end 

 of a rough grass rope, which was coiled upon the 

 net, is thrown ashore and caught. As the boat 

 goes off it is paid out. Then, rowing outwards, 

 along, and back to the beach, the seine is shot 

 overboard by armfuls, until — if all has gone well 



