A DATS GROUND-FISHING. 105 



gradient, a different plan is followed, for it is there the custom 

 to launch bow foremost, because a boat has generally to pass a 

 succession of breakers, which the bow is, of course, better 

 calculated to deal with than the stern, whereas on a steep beach 

 it is only the last wave which breaks, and even that is com- 

 monly avoided by watching a favourable opportunity. 



On the present occasion, having made a clean launch, the 

 rudder was shipped, and as the breeze was freshening, I pulled 

 with the fisherman and his son, two sculls, or as we here term 

 them, paddles, being pulled against an oar, any difference in 

 strength of stroke being compensated by the helm in the hands 

 of my friend. We pulled seaward some short distance, but 

 finding the boat row heavily, we brought our killick stones 

 (rather more than a hundred pounds in weight) about three feet 

 further aft, a great improvement, the boat rising in a more lively 

 manner, plunging less heavily as her bow fell down into the 

 trough of the sea, against the waves of which, accelerated by the 

 increasing breeze, we were advancing. 



* Keep her a bit more west, if you please, sir,' says Rogers, 

 ' for the tide's agoing east yet, and the wind's a westerning a little,' 

 his object of course being not to drop to leeward of our required 

 position and down the tide, which would cause delay in pulling 

 up to windward again. 



1 What mark have you ? ' asked my friend, looking back 

 over his shoulder at the land. 



'Well, sir,' says Rogers, 'd'ye see the white tower, right 

 astarn ? That's the Belvedere at Bicton ; and you keeps the 

 Belvedere between the wheel and the shed with the red-tiled 

 roof (a little bit more west, please, sir) until the other marks 

 comes on.' 



' What wheel ? ' asks my friend. 



' The whin (or whim) as they winds up the coal and stone 

 with at the limekilns,' says Rogers. 



' Exactly,' replies my friend, and steers accordingly. 



A few^minutes' more steady pulling brought us nearly up to 

 the ground, when Rogers observed the tiller might be unshipped, 

 and he would put the boat on the marks with the oars alone, 

 ' for,' said he, ' you see, sir, this is a very particular place, and 



