FROM YACHTS AND LARGE FISHING BOATS 289 



be satisfactorily attended to. The heavy halibut lines are not 

 raised by hand, but by patent haulers which are fixed on the 

 rail and are worked by a small winch. 



As a part of the long-line gear each codman carries ten 

 small and two larger (captain) buoys. The anchors which hold 

 the line weigh about 10 Ibs., and there is one to each buoy. 

 The North Sea cod baits are whelks, lampreys, and squid. At 

 Faroe and Iceland herrings and sometimes young coalfish are 

 used for the long lines, and whelks on the hand lines. Herrings 

 and sillocks (coalfish) are the principal baits used in the Faroe 

 fishery for halibut. 



While on this subject I am tempted to say a word concern- 

 ing the North Sea fishermen, of their perils, hardships and 

 bravery. To do so would be rather beyond the scope of this 

 work, so I will only say here that those who sympathise with 

 these fine fellows cannot give expression to their feeling in a 

 more practical way than by subscribing to the Mission to 

 North Sea Fishermen. The Mission not only attends to the 

 spiritual wants of the men, but gives them medical attendance 

 and performs many friendly offices for them. 



Whelks are recommended among the best baits for long 

 lines because of their toughness and the difficulty with which 

 they are removed from the hook by crabs, cuttle-fish, and 

 small fry. 



There is a particular knot for fastening snoods to a long 

 line which I learnt from an old Thames poacher who had used 

 it for his eel lines. An amateur is not very handy at unhooking 

 fish, and as when taking in a line in a breeze it is often necessary 

 to free the hooks from the fish as fast as the line is pulled in, 

 I recommend this knot to those clumsy of hand. By merely 

 pulling the short end of the snood the knot falls to pieces, 

 and the fish, hook in mouth, can be instantly dropped in the 

 bottom of the boat. The hook can be extracted at leisure, and 



p P 



