THE BRITISH HERRING FISHERY 



not alone in holding heterodox opinions on the subject of 

 creation; for the Scotch herring-fisher devoutly believes 

 that the foul fiend created the lythe and invented the 

 trawl-net the one to give occasion for many disappoint- 

 ments and much consequent swearing ; the other to drive 

 away and break up the shoals of herrings which otherwise 

 would swim obligingly towards the net spread for them. 



As the lugger draws near to the first of the phosphor- 

 escent splashes, a whispered word goes round ; the skipper 

 means to shoot a trial net, and we shall have an oppor- 

 tunity of seeing how " drift " tackle is worked. (Some of 

 the more up-to-date men use a trawl-net or purse-seine for 

 herring.) The drift-nets are lying amidships, carefully 

 coiled up ; each about fifty feet long and from nine to 

 twelve deep, and as innocent of pockets, purses, or folds as 

 a tennis-net ; the meshes, which go about thirty to the 

 yard, will do all the work of themselves. The prudent 

 skipper is determined not to act rashly; the depth of 

 water here is not much more than four fathoms, and there 

 are gigantic jagged rocks about. 



" Try three, first," he mutters. 



A pull at the helm throws the boat round in order 

 that the gear may be shot at the proper angle, i.e. across 

 the current, so that the shoals will strike it in their course 

 up or down ; and some of the hands stand by to pay out 

 the first net. As it touches the water the tendency of 

 the heavy twine meshes is to sink, even if the lower edge 

 be not weighted with lead. 



" Let her go ; mind the corks, and easy with that foot- 

 rope." 



137 



