LINE FISHING. 77 



find a ready sale at good prices in the Grimsby 

 market. 



The cost of these welled-smacks is considerable, and 

 more so than that of " dry-bottomed " vessels of the 

 same size; the term "dry-bottomed" being given to 

 ordinary trawl-smacks and such fishing boats as have 

 no well. This expression, however, would hardly be 

 understood on those parts of our coast where welled- 

 vessels are not used ; the distinction between the two 

 classes is not brought under the notice of the majority 

 of our fishermen, for in most cases their knowledge of 

 the various methods and appliances of fishing is con- 

 fined to what are in use in their own localities. The 

 working expenses of a line vessel are also greater than 

 those of a trawler. Each cod-smack carries from nine 

 to eleven hands, of whom six or seven are apprentices 

 of different ages. The principle of paying by shares, 

 so general among the trawlers, except in the case of 

 the Barking men, is here only adopted in paying the 

 captain. He receives nine per cent, of the proceeds of 

 the " voyage;" the rest of the hands are paid weekly 

 wages, the mate getting 24s. and the men 22s. each ; 

 the apprentices receive from 5Z. to 12Z. a year, accord- 

 ing to their length of service. These wages are higher 

 than they were three or four years ago ; and I am 

 glad to find, that the men who are exposed to all the 

 hardships and rough work at sea which fall to the lot 

 of those who catch the fish, have some share in the 

 higher prices which, owing to the ever-increasing de- 

 mand, fish of almost every kind now obtains in the 

 market. Provisions for all hands are also found by 



