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FISHERMEN'S OWN BOOK. 



A Winter's Trip to Georges. 



BY WALTER HILL. 



Outward Bound — On the Banks — Good Fishing — A Sleeping Giant — Change 

 of Scene — Fishermen's Rations — Fating under Difficulties — The Giant 

 Arouses — To keep our Courage up — Boarded by a Sea — Narrow Escape — 

 A Thrilling Sight — At Daybreak — In their Place — After the Storm — Home- 

 ward Bound. 



Let us suppose ourselves on board a trim fishing craft, like the above, 

 with a good supply of frozen herring on board, running out from Glouces- 

 ter harbor, bound to Georges Banks. We are heading E. S. E., with a trip 

 of 140 or 150 miles before us. The wind is N. W., and the sky is cloud- 

 less, and we arrive on the grounds the day following our departure, pretty 

 early in the day, and " bring to " in about 30 fathoms of water, furl the can- 

 vas and bend the riding-sail. The lads are soon at work with their lines. 

 There are several vessels in our vicinity, and the two that we spoke before 

 "bringing to'' gave us but little encouragement. But this is not to be de- 

 pended on, for they would say the same thing, probably, if the fish were 

 "solid" around them. Some skippers direct the crew to stop fishing when 

 a vessel comes along making inquiries of this nature, so as to mislead them. 

 There is some justification for this practice in winter time, since the great- 

 est peril arises from too much crowding, and there are plenty of men in 



