122 SPORT IN NORTH AMERICA. 



eighteen thousand sailors are maintained by this 

 fishery, — or something like one fourth of the actual 

 muster of the maritime " inscription^' — a precious 

 reserve of power, always serviceable, hardened to 

 the roughest service, in the stormiest seas and the 

 worst climate, useful for the commercial navy in 

 time of peace, and available for the navy in time of 

 war. The produce of the French cod-fishery is 

 about 60,000 tons of fish, of which about one third 

 is exported to Italy and Spain. The home consump- 

 tion absorbs the remainder. 



The Newfoundland cod-fishery has always occupied 

 the first rank ; for it employs the greatest number of 

 sailors, and vessels of every size, from thirty to three 

 hundred and fifty tons. When a vessel arrives at 

 the coast early in June, the crew disembark with 

 all things on board and establish themselves in 

 wooden huts on the shore, where they lie by until 

 after the winter-season. Then they go out every 

 morning in boats (two men and a boy in each) to 

 fish with the line, and remain out all day until 

 evening. Besides these fishing-boats, each vessel is 

 furnished with one or more net-boats, which take 

 ten men to man them, and are only used when the 

 fish is abundant. On the return of the boats, the 

 fish is cut up, salted, and packed, and after it has 

 been for several days in the salt, it is taken out and 

 laid upon the beach by the boys, until it is suffi- 

 ciently dried. The fishermen quit the coast at the 



