SOME BRITISH SEA FISHES AND FISHING 239 



barrels of oil had been cast upon it. The sail was 

 lowered, the nets were put out and fastened to the 

 boat by a long rope, and silence reigned on board. 



The night had fallen, our riding-lamp was care- 

 full}' lighted, as it is most dangerous for fishing- 

 boats to drift about with their nets at night 

 without this warning to steamers, and many a 

 mile of net has been lost and many a craft run 

 down for want of the precaution. 



As day broke we anxiously scanned the long 

 line of floating bladders. They were all very deep 

 in the water. A mighty catch ! We carefully 

 hauled in the great net ; portion after portion was 

 drawn on board, the iridescent half-dead fish were 

 shaken out into the hold, and occasionally a layer 

 of salt was scattered over them until at last the 

 hold was quite full, and the empty net coiled aside 

 in good order. 



Perfectly satisfied as were also the other boats 

 that followed our lead, for they, too, were deeply 

 l ac l en we hoisted sail, and with fifteen crans, or 

 120,000 splendid herrings, as cargo, we gaily 

 sailed back to Lowestoft Harbour. 



Mackerel and pilchards are also caught with 

 drift-nets, and, where convenient, with shore seine 

 nets, when great is the excitement as, the two ends 

 of the seine being drawn together, a huge mass of 



