CARTILAGINOUS FISHES. 267 



the tide ; and therefore the lines always remain upon the ground 

 about six hours. The same rapidity of tide prevents their using hand- 

 lines; and, therefore, two of the people commonly wrap themselves in 

 the sail and sleep, while the other keeps a strict look-out, for fear of 

 being run down by ships, and to observe the weather ; for storms often 

 rise so suddenly that it is sometimes with extreme difficulty they es- 

 cape to the shore, though they leave their lines behind them. 



" The coble is twenty feet six inches long, and five feet extreme 

 breadth. It is about one ton burden, rowed with three pair of oars, 

 a.-id admirably constructed for the purpose of encountering a mountain- 

 ous sea. They hoist sail when the wind suits. 



" The five-men boat is forty feet long, fifteen broad, and twenty- 

 five tons burden. It is so called, though navigated by six men and a 

 boy ; because one of the men is hired to cook, and does not share in 

 the profits of the other five. All our able fishermen go in these boats 

 to the herring fishery at Yarmouth, the latter end of September, and 

 return about the middle of November. The boats are then laid up 

 until the beginning of Lent, at which time they go off in them to the 

 edge of the Dogger, and other places, to fish for turbot, cod, ling, 

 skate, &-C. They always take two cobles on board, and when they 

 come upon their ground, anchor the boat, throw out the cobles, and 

 fish in the same manner as those do who go from the shore in a co- 

 ble ; with this difference only, that here each man is provided with 

 double the quantity of lines, and, instead of waiting the return of the 

 tide in the coble, return to the boat, and bait their other lines ; thus 

 hauling one set, and shooting another, every turn of tide. They com- 

 monly run into the harbour twice a week, to deliver their fish. The 

 five-men boat is decked at each end, but open in the middle, and has 

 two long sails. 



" The best bait for all kinds offish, is fresh herring cut in pieces of 

 a proper size ; and, notwithstanding what has been said to the con- 

 trary, they are t^ken there at any time in the winter, and all the spring, 

 whenever the fishermen put down their nets for that purpose : the 

 five-men boats always take some nets for that end. Next to herrings 

 are the lesser lampreys, which come all winter by land carriage from 

 Tadcaster. The next baits in esteem are small haddocks cut in 

 pieces, sand-worms, muscles, and limpets ; and, lastly, when none of 

 these can be found they use bullock's liver. The hooks used there 

 are much smaller than those employed at Iceland and Newfoundland 

 Experience has shown that the larger fish will take a living small one 

 upon the hook, sooner than any bait that can be put on ; therefore 

 they use such as the fish can swallow. The hooks are two inches 

 and a half long in the shank ; and near an inch wide between the 

 shank and the point. The line is made of small cording, and is al- 

 ways tanned before it is used. All the rays and turbots are extremely 

 delicate in their choice of baits : if a piece of herring or haddock has 

 been twelve hours out of the sea, and then used as a bait, they will 

 not touch it." 



Such is the manner of fishing for those fish that usually keep near 

 he bottom on the coasts of England ; and Duharnel observes, .hat the 

 best weather for succeeding, is a half calm, when the waves are just 

 curled with a silent breeze. 



