94 The Frederick G erring, Jr. 



Cross-examined by Mr. Ritchie: 



O. Is it usual for a fishing vessel to lie with her sheets off and 

 her jibs down when she is taking fish out of the net? A. Yes, that 

 is the way they have to do. 



Q. What is the object of it? A. It is on account of the seine. 

 If the jibs were kept up it would tear the seine all to pieces. 



O. Why do you let the sheets off? A. They have to do it. 

 If the sheets were kept in she would go stern foremost if the jibs 

 were down. 



Q. The object is to keep her in about the same position? A. 

 Yes. 



Q. In what direction do you think the vessel would have 

 drifted if the sails had been down and everything else as it was? 

 A. She would go to the westward. 



Q. So the fact of the sails being up with the sheets off does 

 not affect the matter much, one way or the other? A. If there was 

 no wind it would not. With a breeze it would. She would have 

 drifted about the same way if the sails had been down with the 

 seine fast to her as it was. 



O. Then what you base your judgment upon is the fact that 

 the current in your opinion was so strong that it would prevent the 

 swell from setting the vessel inshore at all? A. Yes, and there 

 must have been a little air or wind. 



Q. What would be the effect while the vessel was taking in her 

 fish if she was making to the eastward? A. She could not make to 

 the eastward at that time with the wind and tide. The wind was to 

 the eastward. 



O. What I want to ask you is, supposing when the vessel was 

 taking in her fish she was making to the eastward, how would that 

 affect her drift? A. I did not understand that. If the wind was to 

 the eastward and the tide was setting to the west I do not see how 

 the vessel could make an easterly drift. 



O. Suppose she was working up against the current she would 

 drift in a little more? A. She could not be doing that; it is im- 

 possible. 



O. Is this correct, considering that the current was running to 

 the west, and that there was a swell inshore, if the vessel had been 

 in such a position that she was working to the eastward she would 

 make more inshore than if she was not working to the eastward? 



