CHAPTER VI 



IN THE DAYS OF SAIL 



ROMANCE and peril are naturally far more prominently 

 associated with the days of sail on the North Sea 

 than with the age of steam. North Sea trawling is 

 to-day a gigantic industrial undertaking, and, while 

 the work is perilous, still, the element of danger is 

 infinitely less than it was when the fishermen had 

 to depend solely on the wind. Romance has to a 

 large extent, and inevitably, disappeared, and even 

 the coper, the notorious grog-shop of the Dogger, 

 which was a marked feature of the fleets a quarter 

 of a century ago, has vanished. The fierce, rough 

 days of smuggling and kindred offences are practically 

 no more, although occasionally a North Sea man will 

 by care and cunning get the better of the watchful 

 Customs. 



It is doubtful if a thoroughly modern young skipper, 

 a man of great skill and knowledge compared with 

 his predecessors, could understand the smacksman of 

 half a century ago if he were suddenly put into 

 their midst and had to lead their life and follow their 

 work ; it is certain that the old-time fisherman could 

 not credit his senses if he were spirited back to the 

 Dogger and introduced to the wonderful and ceaseless 

 fighting life of the modern steamboat man. 



