CHAPTER XVII 



THE FOURTH YEAR. 



It was impressive and astonishing, at the begin- 

 ning of the fourth year of war, to visit fishing-ports 

 and see how tenaciously the fishermen pursued their 

 calling and how well supplied they kept the market ; 

 one felt for them almost the admiration which was 

 aroused at the sight of the mine-sweepers and patrol- 

 lers, who gave cause for pride and admiration in- 

 deed, for their courage and resource were as wonder 

 compelling as their methods. At Grimsby, for ex- 

 ample, the world's largest fishing-port, at the amaz- 

 ing fish-dock, which is the development of the old 

 pontoon — Grimsby is proud of the fact that no other 

 fish-dock is called the pontoon — there was an energy 

 and vigour shown in handling the landed fish which 

 would have struck gloom to the depths of the Ger- 

 man heart. 



There were long rich rows of " live " cod — the 

 " live " is the complete fish, as opposed to the 

 gutted carcase, and is therefore perfectly fresh and 

 commands the highest market price — and vast 

 vistas of boxed haddock and kindred " offal," 

 though in war-time " offal " fetched " prime ' 



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