42 BRITISH IND USTRIES. 



is stowed away in the hold with layers /of ice be- 

 tween ; but at Brixham and Plymouth the vessels 

 return to harbour every day, and no ice is taken on 

 board. 



The kind of weather is an important consideration, 

 when trawling has to be carried on. The hot summer 

 months are those in which the least work can be done, 

 because then there is frequently not wind enough to 

 tow the trawl over the ground. But in winter the 

 trawlers are in constant work, and such weather as is 

 sufficiently bad to put a stop to most other kinds of 

 deep-sea fishing, often enables the trawlers to gather 

 in the richest part of their harvest. It is a rough life 

 they have to lead ; but there is a charm in it which 

 makes them follow it up, when once they have become 

 initiated into the work. With good vessels under them 

 they go farther to sea, stay out longer, and are exposed 

 to worse weather, taking the year through, than any 

 other kind of fishermen. They consequently become 

 thorough sailors; but their training is due to their 

 constant liability to hardships and dangers, more espe- 

 cially in the troubled waters of the North Sea. As 

 hard-working fishermen and sailors, the trawlers stand 

 in the front rank ; and I may add that, as a rule, they 

 are equally conspicuous for their honesty and sobriety, 

 a very large proportion of them being teetotallers, and 

 coffee their favourite drink. Good sailors as they are, 

 however, the terrific North Sea gales in which they 

 are sometimes caught, are more than they can always 

 contend with. But they are too far from land to have 

 much hope of gaining shelter ; they must battle it out 

 as best they can; and when, after days of anxious 



