34 NORTH SEA FISHERS AND FIGHTERS 



St. Peter's, and Bradstow because the people there 

 formerly lived " very meanly and poorly," eating scarce 

 anything but fish, and particularly red herring and ling, 

 or " North Sea cod." On the other hand, Margate was 

 the chief, if not the only, place of business, and its 

 inhabitants were wealthy, and lived in plenty ; but 

 Margate fell on somewhat evil days and the "kings" 

 departed. Meanwhile, Ramsgate prospered and allured 

 many rich people, so that apparently the "capons" 

 which were not genuine were succeeded by acceptable 

 chickens and other good fare. 



The primitive North Sea men of the past, the 

 fishers who were also husbandmen, have their successors 

 in the Scots who come from northern ports to southern 

 climes, following the herrings. Their fine seaworthy 

 luggers, a feature of many of which is the horizontal 

 steering-wheel, often crowd English harbours, and the 

 crews throng the streets on the Sabbath, decently 

 dressed and orderly. These people from the Shetlands 

 and elsewhere are still in many ways primitive. I have 

 given a cigar to one of them, only to learn that he did 

 not know how to smoke it. And just as their fore- 

 fathers did long ago, so they do themselves till the 

 soil in due season, and at the proper time go fishing. 

 They are industrious, reserved, and sober though some 

 of them, perhaps, when in port for the week-end, relax 

 vigilance a little and snuggle in their cabooses and 

 make themselves contented with the help of grateful 

 waters. "The Cotter's Saturday Night" has its repetition 

 on a broader scale in many a lugger which is in harbour 

 for the week-end. At eventide you may see the men 

 and boys carrying their basketsful of bread, meat, 



