CHANGES IN TRAWLING VESSELS. 69 



stern-end of the trawl, and the fore-mast has a derrick. In 

 'shooting' the trawl the ship goes at full speed. When the 

 * cod '-end of the trawl is unshipped, the mate at the same time 

 orders the fore-trawl-beam lashings to be freed, and when the 

 beam is at right angles to the ship the ' stopper '-rope is let go, 

 and the order 'ware forward' then sends off the trawl-warp 

 from the drum. 



A better arrangement now exists for assisting in unshipping 

 the heavy trawl-heads, for these rest on a stout wooden plat- 

 form about 18 inches high, and thus are easily swung over the 

 rail ; and, besides, the deck is saved from injury. In one or 

 two ships at Granton larger platforms for the fore-end of the 

 trawl have been fitted. In a new vessel, indeed, a square of 

 plate-iron has been put on the deck at the point most injured 

 by the trawl-head. In rough weather a chain fastens the 

 trawl-head to the nearest iron stanchion at the bulwarks, and 

 is used in bringing the front trawl-head on board. In the 

 same way an additional chain at the stern-end is sometimes 

 useful. In the Montrose paddle-ships the wheels for winding 

 the trawl- warp (a Manilla rope) are below, and only the capstan 

 is on deck. The latter (capstan) in some trawlers is made too 

 high, and is wrenched out of its fastenings. 



The trawl is usually down for five hours on the 'Great 

 Fisher Bank ' and other grounds, though trawlers working near 

 home regulate the time rather by the nature of the bottom 

 than anything else, in some cases spending as much time 

 (three hours) in mending the net as in trawling on hard ground, 

 or where wrecks and anchors occur. The trawling-period, in- 

 deed, on hard ground is about three hours, on soft ground five 

 hours. When productive ground is discovered, a 'dan,' or buoy, 

 with a red or black flag by day, and a white globe-light, close 

 to the surface, at night, is put in the water to mark the spot, 

 though it is liable to be carried away by other ships, and the 

 lamp broken. This buoy has a pole, with heavy iron bars, at 

 one end, and towards the other about ten flat pieces of cork, 

 upwards of a foot square. In one or two ships floats of skin — 

 such as the liners use in herring-fishing, with pole and flag, 

 were substituted for the cork buoys, or small pieces of cork on a 



