PROTECTION OF DEEP SEA FISHERIES. 389 



like taking a labouring job ashore, it is a calling in which a 

 man is compelled to be exposed to wind, rain, and weather 

 night and day, and therefore must be clothed accord- 

 ingly. Then the question arises, what is to be done ? The 

 owner wants the man, the man wants the job and clothes, 

 or at least sea boots and oily clothing. The only way out 

 of the difficulty is for the owner to provide the necessary 

 clothing at his own risk, and agree with the men, who as a 

 le are entire strangers to him, that when they settle 

 at the end of the voyage the value of the clothing so 

 upplied shall be deducted from the share which may be 

 due to them. At some ports the outfitters will supply 

 clothes to men of this class at their own risk, but on the 

 understanding that if the man to whom the clothes are 

 supplied deserts, or does not pay for them, the owner shall 

 bear half the loss by paying half the amount to the outfitter. 

 These strangers, being thus provided with sea clothing, do not 

 always proceed to sea, for it sometimes happens that, if from 

 bad weather or other cause, the vessel does not leave the port 

 on the day expected, the men being in possession of this 

 new clothing, desert, either pawn or sell it for a trifle, and are 

 possibly not seen or heard of any more. Perhaps the vessel 

 proceeds to sea as arranged, the owner having fitted out 

 these men at the last moment with the clothing, and re- 

 turns to port in one, two or three days ; the men either 

 don't like the sea, want money, or for some other reason 

 of their own desert and dispose of the clothes, as before 

 mentioned. It would be the exception if sufficient money 

 were due to them after making one trip only, to com- 

 pensate the owner for the clothes, because where vessels 

 sail by the share, as these craft usually do, the provisions, 

 salt, &c., are a first charge on the gross earnings. If it 

 should so happen that the vessel makes a good commence- 



