172 BRITISH IND USTRIES. 



of from two to four men each, and carry a jib and two 

 large lugs, the foot of the latter being extended by 

 means of a boom. 



The Shetlands form the northern limit of what may 

 be called our home fisheries ; for, although vessels, 

 fitted out at Shetland, as well as Grimsby smacks, go 

 every year to the Faroe Islands, and sometimes to 

 Iceland for cod, and bring their captures home, this 

 fishery cannot be considered as strictly belonging to 

 our own coasts. The great fishery at the Shetlands is, 

 however, practically by lines ; and cod, ling, saithe or 

 coalfish, and tusk quite a northern fish, and resem- 

 bling a short-bodied ling are the species specially 

 sought after. There is also some drift fishing for 

 herrings, but these fish are very uncertain in their 

 appearance on the Shetland coasts, and the dangerous 

 character of the sea there, and the frequent bad 

 weather, often interfere with regular herring-fish- 

 ing. Besides these difficulties, the greater import- 

 ance of the line fishing induces most of the fishermen 

 to devote as much time as possible to that kind of 

 work. 



The line fishery is also subject to a good deal of 

 fluctuation, especially as regards the cod, which, not 

 only at the Shetlands, but also at Faroe and Ice- 

 land, become abundant or scarce in successive seasons 

 without any apparent cause. Saithe are taken by 

 hand lines near the coast, and commonly close to the 

 surface. Cod are also taken in the same manner ; but 

 most of them are caught at some distance from the 

 land, and there are particular banks which have long 



