47 



rocks, and high boulder hanks. It was blowing a hard east 

 wind, and when the water had risen considerably, some 

 deep-keeled Colchester smacks slammed in alongside the 

 flatsmen, and worked until high tide, hauling their dredges 

 up through twenty-four feet of water. They delivered 



Dredges on the rail. 



their catch to the Company's Store, amounting to ten. 

 washes a boat for one tide's work, and Whitstable people 

 said they had never before seen so much brood delivered, 

 stacked up as it was like a haystack. 



It is difficult always to explain the reason for the 

 uncertain presence or absence of spat. A very cold spring- 

 time might cause injury to the spat, or prevent the oyster 

 spawning freely, or the advent of a large quantity of five- 

 rayed starfish, or five-fingers as the fishermen call them, 



