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termed, of oak twelve to fourteen inches thick ; the space 

 so set apart is again divided by one or two sectional 

 bulkheads, thus forming two or three wells, as the case may 

 be. These well-heads are carried upwards for about half 

 the entire height of the vessel, or about five feet six 

 inches, a strong oak deck is then laid over all from the 

 fore to the aft well-head, forming what in a merchant 

 ship would be called 'tween decks, and on board smacks 

 is styled a well deck. From the centre of the well deck a 

 strongly encased watertight hatchway called a well funnel 

 rises to the upper deck. The bottom of the well is planked 

 over in the same way as the rest of the vessel outside, 

 in the planks well-holes are bored about fifteen inches 

 apart, and through these the water is admitted into the 

 well, and by the motion of the vessel when at sea is freely 

 circulated. Above the well deck and in the after part of 

 the vessel's hold, the space is used for an ice room, where 

 about eight tons of ice is stowed, and compartments made 

 for the stowage of the fish which die on the voyage. The 

 fore part of the vessel's hold is used for spare sails and the 

 fishing gear. The smack carries with it a boat about 

 twenty feet in length, six feet four inches in width, and 

 three feet in depth. Very frequently this boat is used for 

 hauling the lines at sea, and when the winter gales carry 

 destruction to the ships in the North Sea, the English 

 fisherman is never slow in launching his boat and risking 

 his own life in order to save his fellow. Never a 

 winter goes by without numerous instances of this kind 

 taking place, in many cases without reward or even notice 

 being bestowed, in others they are duly acknowledged. 



The bait formerly used by the codmen was whelks, but 

 for the last twelve years this has been varied with lampreys 

 and herrings, when obtainable, according to the season of 



