FISHERMEN IN WAR TIME 



force of the fumes, while the rest of the crew, being 

 below, were lucky enough to escape. 



" Some of the other trawlers cut their gear and 

 went away for home, and we got into the land as 

 quickly as we could — thankful that there was just 

 wind enough for that. The first craft we spoke 

 was the Dragoon. We asked if they had seen a 

 Zepp,, and they said, ' Yes, one passed just over 

 the topmast ! ' So that little craft had a very narrow 

 escape. 



" By this time the fog had lifted and the weather 

 was clear — we owed our wonderful preservation to 

 being hidden. It isn't often you can speak well of 

 a North Sea fog. 



" After getting home I was lying on the couch 

 for nine days, with one eye quite closed. The poison 

 gas had turned me as yellow as saffron, and I suf- 

 fered cruelly. All the time, of course, I hadn't a 

 penny coming in, and I could get no help from any 

 fund ; but at last the Deep Sea Mission set me up, 

 and with a heavy heart I went to sea again, joining 

 the Glory, this time as third hand. 



" I fully expected that something would happen 

 again, and I was on the rack all the time ; but, you 

 see, she's safely home again, after a week's trip." 



122 



