CONGER EEL FISHING AT JERSEY. 55 



Nothing could have suited my ideas better, 

 and in an hour we were once more spanking 

 merrily along towards the " Ecrehos." These 

 are a long line of rocks about ten or twelve miles 

 from Jersey, a wild lonely-looking spot. There 

 was formerly a chapel on one of the islands, a 

 famous place for cutting the seaweed or " vraig" 

 which the Jersey farmers use largely on their 

 land, and for grass land there is no better 

 dressing. The cows will not leave a bite of grass 

 on any place where it has been put. It is also 

 the best manure you can use for parsnips, which 

 the Jersey farmers excel in ; also for mangold 

 wurzel. 



In due time we reached this terrible line of 

 rocks, anchored the yacht, and took the small 

 boat and rowed on shore. " Now, sir," said old 

 Tar Bucket, " here we be. Take three of these 

 and come along, we be just in good time." 



" He then gave me three sticks, the shortest 

 about four feet long, the next about seven, and 

 the other nine or ten. Each stick was furnished 

 with a large conger hook securely tied on it. 

 He, I noticed, carried three or four more with 

 smaller hooks on them. 



