A DATS GROUND-FISHING. in 



weather eye open, prepared to act according to circumstances. 

 As to standing up in the boat to haul the lines, it was perfectly 

 out of the question for any of us who, from years of previous 

 experience, had not shipped our sea legs, and, in fact, it had 

 been so from the time we let go the killick stone. Still we put 

 up with the kicking and jumping of the boat on account of the 

 sport, for the intervals were very short in which the fish did 

 not come on board from one or other of the five lines at work. 



My three friends in the stern-sheets hauled away with the 

 most praiseworthy perseverance, and the lines were kept going 

 up and down without intermission. Our lady friend also, who 

 entered thoroughly into the sport, hauled up the fish pair and 

 pair constantly, unhooking her fish and fresh-baiting her hooks, 

 and generally managing her own line entirely, in all but ex- 

 ceptional cases, when the fish in their eagerness would gorge 

 the hooks, and some additional aid be required in their ex- 

 traction ; or when, by reason of the uneasy motion of the boat, 

 or the attempts of a fish to escape, one line might be carried 

 round another, causing a foul, and some assistance to be need- 

 ful 'to undo the knotted hank.' 



Rather suddenly, however, although not altogether unex- 

 pectedly, our sport slackened, and at length almost entirely 

 ceased, for looking at the east and west marks, * Drat it,' says 

 Rogers, ' if us bayn't a drivin' ! Bear a hand here, Jim, and 

 get up the sling-stone ; us 'ull bend on two instead of one, and 

 let go again a little vurder out.' The sling-stone, or killick, 

 having been brought on board, I took the oars with Jim, 

 whilst Rogers bent on the second stone about a fathom behind 

 the first. This is a much better plan than placing them close 

 together, for one stone can thus be lifted on board at a time in 

 hauling up, and, in addition, the space between the stones gives 

 the chance of catching against two projections of the rock 

 instead of one a matter worthy of some attention. As soon 

 as we had pulled far enough to the southward to bring the 

 east and west marks a little open, one stone was carefully 

 lowered over the side, and the second being cast after it, scope 

 was given until the marks came properly on, and we were at 

 liberty to go to work again without fear of driving. 'There,' 



