76 BRITISH IND USTRIES. 



supply and circulation of water from the sea is kept up 

 within it through large auger holes bored in the bottom 

 of the vessel below the water-line, and between the 

 two bulkheads. The entrance to the well is on deck, 

 through a hatchway (6) ; and in front and on each side 

 of it, at a short distance above the water-line, is what is 

 called the " well deck " (c), which keeps the level of the 

 water within certain limits, when the smack is rolling 

 about or pressed down under sail. Cod are the prin- 

 cipal fish put into the well, and when they have been 

 caught in no great depth of water, and are strong and 

 lively when taken off the hook, they will live a long 

 time under these circumstances. It is a curious fact, 

 however, that ling, which are usually taken in rather 

 deep water, and cod from like situations, do not thrive 

 in a vessel's well. Many deaths occur also among the 

 general collection of cod, especially if they are nume- 

 rous, and the vessel be exposed to bad weather, as the 

 fish are then liable to be knocked about a good deal. 

 A sharp look-out, however, is kept on them, and those 

 which appear not likely to survive are taken out, 

 killed, and packed in ice. Thus a cod-smack has gene- 

 rally a large number of dead fish as well as live ones 

 when she returns to port, the former consisting not 

 only of the cod thus taken out of the well, but also of 

 others, with ling and haddock, which were put into ice 

 as soon as caught. It is no uncommon thing for a 

 smack to return from the Dogger after ten days' fishing 

 with from twenty to twenty-five score of fine live cod, 

 besides, perhaps, two-thirds of that number of fish in 

 ice. Holibuts are easily kept alive in the well, and 



