STEAM, THE CONQUEROR 149 



themselves when they were safely in harbour. Famous 

 amongst the earlier steam-trawlers were the Flying 

 Sprite, Tuskar, Triumph, Hero, and the Flying Spray. 

 Some of the paddle pioneers were little better than 

 venerable floating foundries ; yet they were able to work 

 rough ground on which a screw-trawler was almost 

 helpless and practically useless. 



Fleeters, single-boaters, and Icelanders are the three 

 great classes into which the trawler fleets may be divided. 

 The fleeters are generally a smaller class of vessel than 

 the others, being from 100 to no ft. long; but I have 

 been on board much smaller craft than these on the 

 banks, one in particular being a hardy little warrior of 

 just over 40 tons. Her skipper assured me that in a 

 breeze she was a beautiful bird, and I am certain that he 

 spoke the truth ; but even the toughest of us do not, as 

 a matter of choice, fix on a contrivance whose chief 

 abiding-place is somewhere between the clouds and the 

 crests of North Sea waves. 



The fleeters go to sea carrying enough coal and 

 provisions to last them for about six weeks, during 

 which time they stay on the fishing-grounds and deliver 

 their catch of fish every morning to the carrier. 



The steam-trawlers which go single-boating leave 

 port for some particular ground on which, in the opinion 

 of the skipper, fish will be found. This ground may be 

 50 miles or more from the coast, or a lesser distance. 

 The likely spot having been reached, a trial shot of the 

 trawl is made, and if the result is satisfactory a buoy 

 called a "dan" is placed in the sea, to indicate the 

 location of the fish, and this neighbourhood is worked 

 either until the fish leave it or the catch justifies a return 



