THE FISHERMEN 247 



The system is growing more complex ; but this is 

 nothing as yet. Hitherto the system of shares is un- 

 mixed ; now we come to a fresh element : the advance 

 made by the owner to the fisherman, which is called, 

 according to its nature, the " lost advance " ; that is, 

 it has not to be repaid to the owner. Or it may be 

 an "advance to count" (avance a valoir), if it is to 

 be repaid ; or it may be a " simple gift," or earnest 

 money, denier a Dieu. These advances have a sound 

 justification. When the fishing season takes .the man 

 away from his family for weeks or months at a time 

 there must be bread in the house. 



Let us take a few details relating to the herring and 

 the mackerel fishing of Fecamp. The nets of cotton 

 are furnished by the boat-owner. The latter, the day he 

 engages his crew, gives each sailor a "pure gift," that 

 is, earnest money, to the amount of 16 for the herring 

 fishery ; for the mackerel fishery, which is nearer home, 

 the sum is 6. The fish being sold, the owner or his 

 representative touches a commission on the gross pro- 

 ceeds of the voyage. Then are deducted the advances 

 of salt, cider, wood, coal, ice ; barrels of fish and 

 groceries ; the harbour and custom dues ; the hire of 

 boilers and gear and upkeep of machinery, and the 

 crew's wine-tankards, which are all considered as com- 

 mon expenses. (These precautions are admirable, and 

 the last is really sublime !) 



The net yield of the voyage is then shared out at 

 the Bureau de la Marine, as follows: The boat, three 

 and a half parts ; the long-boat or dinghy, half a part ; 

 the gear, two parts ; the master, one part ; each sailor, 

 half a part ; each " novice," three-eighths of a part ; 

 each boy, a quarter of a part . . . And the cre\tf is 

 paid 1 



