2 DBEBGrSTG EEPOKIS. 



sea, but before noon a gale comes on, and there is nothing for it 

 but to haul up the dredges, toss about for a while in the hope of 

 a lull, or, in mute despair, to run at once for land. Considering 

 these things, and remembering also, that having been favoured 

 with three grants, we have had perhaps as much as it would be 

 decent, for the present, to ask, no application for further pecu- 

 niary aid was made to the last meeting of the Association. It 

 has therefore been thought desirable to give in this concluding- 

 report a complete resume of the results of the three years' dredg- 

 ing. In the first place, however, we shall recount briefly the 

 work which has been clone during the present year. 



In the course of the summer eight days were spent in dredging, 

 two of these on the Durham coast, and six off the northern shores 

 of Northumberland. The two days devoted to the Durham coast 

 were most unfortunate ones : on each occasion the earlier part of 

 the day appeared favourable, but before mid-day the wind had 

 freshened to a gale and quite put a stop to all work, once at 

 least resulting in the complete rout and "demoralization" of 

 the dredging party. 



" We had had enough of action, and of motion we, 

 Eoll'd to starboard, roll'd to larboard, when the surge was seething free. 

 Where the wallowing monster spouted his foam-fountains in the sea. 



* * * * 



Surely, surely, slumber is more sweet than toil, the shore 

 Than labour in the deep mid-ocean, wind and wave and oar ; 

 Oh rest ye, brother mariners, we will not wander more." 



So we thought until we again set foot on terra fir-ma ; but there 

 is a fascination in the dredge, and by the time the outward man 

 was washed, and the inward man replenished, we thought that 

 we'd be at it again the next fine day. 



The six days spent off the Northumberland coast were attended 

 with better results. The weather was, on the whole, favourable, 

 and many interesting captures were made. The experience of 

 the previous year induced us to re-engage the steam tug "Hea- 

 ther-bell," which we had found to be a good, sea- worthy craft, 

 well adapted for our purposes. And, more important still, we 

 knew her crew to be a steadv and obliging set of men, who 



