THE SECRETS OF THE SEA 321 



shape, but possibly containing valuable material, 

 and more than once we lost it altogether. 



I think the gambling element must be strongly 

 developed in all of us, for every time we made an 

 unsuccessful haul the failure would seem to inspire 

 us with confidence in better luck next time. 

 Everyone on board is full of feverish expectancy 

 as the dredge is being hoisted up after a good 

 bumpy quarter of an hour on bottom. Far down 

 in the water a faint cloud is first seen, — ^the mud 

 and sand washing out as it is steadily drawn up. 

 The cloud grows larger until at last the dredge 

 itself appears, its white "skirts" flashing in the 

 clear indigo-blue water far below. All are eager 

 to get it aboard and emptied and inspect the con- 

 tents. If there is a good haul it well repays for 

 the disappointment of many poor ones. 



The season of 1916 had been a bad one. Day 

 after day the wind blew half a gale, so that we 

 could do nothing even in the harbor. On the two 

 or three occasions when we did get outside we 

 were either driven in by a strong breeze springing 

 up or we had bad fouls on bottom or "water 

 hauls." Our time was drawing to a close and 

 we hadn't made a single decent haul. One mom- 



