248 LIFE OP AUDUBON. 



last stage of the process, the salting and packing. Six ex- 

 perienced men generally manage to head, gut, bone, salt, and 

 pack all the fish caught in the morning, by the return of the 

 boats with fresh cargoes, when all hands set to work aiid clear 

 the deck of the fish. Thus their labours continue until twelve 

 o'clock, when they wash their faces and hands, put on clean 

 clothes, hang their fishing apparel on the shrouds, and, betaking 

 themselves to the forecastle, are soon in a sound sleep. 



" At three next morning comes the captain from his berth, 

 rubbing his eyes, and in a loud voice calling, ' All hands, ho !' 

 Stiffened in limb, and but half awake, the crew quickly appear 

 on deck. Their fingers and hands are so cramped and swollen 

 by pulling the lines that it is difficult for them even to straighten 

 a thumb ; but this matters little at present, for the cook, who 

 had a good nap yesterday, has risen an hour before them, and 

 prepared their coffee and eatables. Breakfast despatched, they 

 exchange t ir clean clothes for the fishing apparel, and leap 

 into their boats, which had been washed the previous night, aJid 

 again the flotilla bounds to the fisliing ground. As there may 

 be not less than 100 schooners or pick-axes in the harbour, 

 300 boats resort to the banks each day ; and as each boat may 

 procure 2,000 cod per diem, when Saturday night comes, about 

 600,000 fishes have been brought to the harbour. This having 

 caused some scarcity on the fishing grounds, and Sunday being 

 somewhat of an idle day, the captain collects the salt ashore, 

 and sets sail for some other convenient harbour, which he expects 

 to reach before sunset. If the weather be favourable the men 

 get a good deal of rest during the voyage, and on Monday 

 things go on as before. I must not omit to tell you, reader, 

 that while proceeding from one harbour to another the vessel 

 has passed near a rock which is the breeding place of myriads 

 of puffins. She has laid to for an hour or so, while part of the 

 crew have landed and collected a store of eggs, excellent as a 

 substitute for cream, and not less so when hard boiled as food 

 for the fishing grounds. I may as well inform you also how 

 these adventurous fellows distinguish the fresh eggs from the 

 others. They fill up some large tubs with water, throw in a 

 quantity of egg-, and allow them to remain a minute or so, 

 when those which come to the surface are tossed overboard, and 



