172 ALONGSHORE ni 



right out of the sea upon the beach, and mackerel 

 chasing them. Many of the fish we had thrown 

 back were washed up again. We tossed them to 

 the gulls, who simply squatted on the water a few 

 yards out and blinked at us. They too, even the 

 gulls, were fed up. 



All day long the hookers made big catches. 

 In the evening it was found that to catch mackerel 

 there was no need to do more than drop overboard 

 a yard or so of line, baited, but without a lead. A 

 bright bare hook would catch them. Very soon, 

 scarcely a boat or line was left upon the beach. 

 The sea was crowded with people rowing up and 

 down shore as close in as possible. Some visitors 

 found a kind of sport in tossing out lines from 

 the beach and dragging them In again. Which 

 wasn't good for the lines. 



Seen from a boat, looking down into the water, 

 the mackerel were like a dark green river flowing 

 alongshore in the flood-tide — a river within a 

 river; and across the beach, in the glow of sun- 

 set, the hopping brit that had been chased out of 

 the water were like an endless band of gems. 

 Under the splash of an oar the mackerel scattered 

 for a moment, but the smoother motion of the 

 boat they took no notice of. Some had small 



