CHAP, vii.] FISH-CAPTURE BY LINE. 305 



fish, costs 1500. She usually carries from nine to eleven men 

 and boys, including the captain. Her average expense per 

 week is 20 during the long-line season in the North Sea ; but 

 it exceeds this much if unfortunate in losing lines. Fishing 

 has of late been a most uncertain venture. The line is chiefly 

 used for the purpose of taking cod and haddock. The number 

 of lines taken to sea in an open boat depends upon the number 

 of men belonging to the particular vessel. Each man has a line 

 of 50 fathoms (300 feet) in length ; and attached to each .of 

 these lines are 100 " snoods/' with hooks already baited with 

 mussels, pieces of herring or whiting. Each line is laid 

 "clear" in a shallow basket or "scull" that is, it is so 

 arranged as to run freely as the boat shoots ahead. The 50- 

 fathom line, with 100 hooks, is in Scotland termed a "taes." 

 If there are eight men in a boat the length of line will be 400 

 fathoms (2400 feet), with 800 hooks (the lines being tied to 

 each other before setting). On arriving at the fishing-ground 

 the fishermen heave overboard a cork buoy, with a flag-staff 

 fixed to it about six feet in height. The buoy is kept 

 stationary by a line, called the "pow-end," reaching to the 

 bottom of the water, and having a stone or small anchor 

 fastened to the lower end. To the pow-end is also fastened 

 the fishing-line, which is then " paid " out as fast as the 

 boat sails, which may be from four to five knots an hour. 

 Should the wind be unfavourable for the direction in which 

 the crew wish to set the line they use the oars. When the 

 line or taes is all out the end is dropped, and the boat 

 returns, to the buoy. The pow-end is hauled up with the 

 anchor and fishing-line attached to it. The fishermen then 

 haul in the line with whatever fish may be on it. Eight 

 Hundred fish might be taken (and often have been) by eight 

 men in a few hours by this operation ; but many fishermen 

 now say that they consider themselves very fortunate when 

 they get a fish on every five hooks on an eight-taes line. 



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