76 NORTH SEA FISHERS AND FIGHTERS 



more than throw down his sou'-wester or other head-dress, 

 but at times taking off his great boots. More often he 

 would simply drop to the sodden foul floor, stretch 

 himself out, and sleep like a log. Vermin might swarm 

 as it often did in the old wooden vessels insects of the 

 filthiest type ; but the smacksman was impervious to the 

 onslaughts. Woe to the fresh and appetising landsman or 

 apprentice who adventured on the Dogger. I know that 

 in my own case every sanguinary insect on board claimed 

 me for its own, inflicting suffering that became positively 

 maddening, and was only alleviated by going on deck in 

 the middle of the night and getting the solitary hand to 

 be merciful enough to drench me with repeated pailsful of 

 water. How horrible was the sight just then of the scores 

 of smacks in the peaceful moonlight ! How unromantic 

 the twinkling lanterns which were scattered on a wide 

 expanse of sea ! I fared no better when I tried to rest 

 on a bed which had been made for me in the hold by the 

 simple device of spreading a piece of canvas on the top 

 of a spare trawl-net ; nor when I sought forgetfulness by 

 curling up on the bare boards of the deck. I bitterly 

 regretted that I had not taken the advice of the owner 

 before sailing " Spend eighteenpence on a feather-bed 

 made of straw you won't sleep either on a locker or the 

 floor." 



When steam was introduced into the smacks for the 

 purpose of working the capstan, or dandy-wink, a donkey- 

 boiler was installed, usually just outside the cabin, from 

 which it was separated only by a wooden partition, at 

 one end of which was a door leading to the engine com- 

 partment. This door was mostly open, so that the hot 

 air would come through into the cabin even on a blazing 



