114 A DAY'S GROUND-FISHING. 



as possible. My friends in the stern-sheets were requested to 

 sit on the after-thwart, or as near to it as convenient, so that 

 in case of a sea breaking over the stern they might meet with 

 as little of it as possible. In other respects we kept all the re- 

 maining weight as far aft as we could, for if a boat is down by 

 the head, and takes a heavy sea in the land- wash, her forefoot 

 may catch on the shingle, and if she does not instantly free 

 herself, the chances are that she capsizes. Not that on the 

 present occasion there was any prospect of such an eventuality ; 

 but it is well to acquire habits of caution, if only to come on 

 shore dry and comfortable. This we managed, with the ex- 

 ception of a slight sprinkling, of which no account is taken in 

 beach-boating. Being now close in with the surf, and as fair 

 a smooth presenting itself as we could expect in the agitated 

 state of things, we seized the favourable opportunity, and with 

 a few sturdy strokes sent the boat on to the shingle. Jim, who 

 was ready with the painter, leaped over the bows, which being 

 firmly grasped by half a dozen willing hands, the boat could 

 not haul off again by the reflux of the wave, and we were all on 

 shore in a twinkling, excepting our lady friend, who sat fast on 

 the thwart, holding on by the gunwale, until the boat, by six- 

 man power on the painter, was hauled nearly high and dry, and 

 she could step conveniently out on the shingle. The fishing- 

 lines and killick stones being taken out of the boat, the painter 

 is passed through a hole made for the purpose in the forefoot, 

 thus enabling us to lift and haul simultaneously ; and timing 

 our efforts with a succession of deep-throated ' Up-ho's ! ' from 

 the stentorian lungs of one of our own crew, the boat springs 

 four feet ahead at once over the greased ways placed in her 

 track, and, topping the copp or high- water ridge of the slope of 

 the beach, is deposited on the flat beyond the reach of danger. 



The fish and line baskets are now carried up the path to the 

 'cottage on the cliff,' and whilst the contents of the latter are 

 so disposed as to dry with all convenient speed, those of the 

 former are emptied on the lawn and counted out ; the result 

 being twenty-two dozen Pout, three Bekker or Braize, the 

 Wrasse already mentioned, and the Conger left in the boat. 



My friend selected as many fish as he required for his own 



