sr PREFACE. 



This knowledge they owe to a long and 

 continued practice, which has enabled 

 them to form a kind of chart in their 

 minds, or rather a fection of the fea. 



It is evident, that fifhermen, who fo par- 

 ticularly know the fhoals, which they fre- 

 quent, and who, belides, have experienced 

 the ftrength and direction of the currents, 

 make the bed coafting pilots. The lead, 

 with its bottom rubbed with greafe, or 

 tallow, tells them not only the depth, but 

 the nature of the bottom, and is fufficient 

 to point out their fituation : they know, 

 for example, that in fo many fathoms of 

 water, rocky, fandy, flielly, muddy bot- 

 tom, &c. they are at fuch a place, and by 

 means of the compafs, they again know 

 the courfe they are to fteer at night, 

 to get into port, as well as if they faw 

 the fea-marks, land-marks, or the fignals, 

 that guide them by day. 



'It is for thofe reafons, that at Dunkirk, 

 and in all the other ports, where great 

 fiiheries .are eftablifhed, the Chambers of 

 commerce of France furnifh the oldeft 



fifhermen 



