FISH AND FISHERIES OF EAST SUFFOLK. 



383 



A few boats were of the Yarmouth build and rig— broad- 

 beamed, cutter-rigged ; others were of the Southwold and Alde- 

 burgh "punt " type, and a few of a nondescript order, one being 

 a queerly metamorphosed yacht — some twenty-five to thirty in all. 

 The men were not enamoured of the " rough ground " north of 

 Lowestoft, so favourite with Yarmouth men.* 



On the piers, like so many Cormorants looking for prey, sat 

 perched in various attitudes some two hundred Atherine anglers, 

 seeking " Sand Smelts." One old gentleman, of philosophic 

 appearance, armed with a light rod and a crow-quill, pulled out 

 forty silvery-sided beauties in about an hour. These small fish 

 anglers were still in evidence on the 30th, catching greater or 

 lesser numbers. The Shrimp-boats had all been moored when I 

 arrived at their quarters, and the men gone home with their 

 catches. The retreating tide had left on the shore at the east 

 side numbers of creatures thrown out as refuse ; among them 

 many Sand-stars (Ophiocoma rosula) and empty valves of the 

 Mactra stultorum (the Radiated Trough-shell). I saw a Pholas, 

 numerous small Whitings, and a host of three -inch Bibs. 



"Them little pouts," [Bibs] said an old salt, "die suner 'an 

 any fish livin' ; they fare to blow up and float dade directly they 

 come out of the water. There's lots of big 'uns come off there 

 [indicating Lowestoft Ness] later on, and perwide good fishin'." 

 " You have no draw-netting at Lowestoft? " I queried. " No — 

 none; there's too many groynes," he answered. "Any Smelt- 

 ing?" "No, sir, if you mean 'Cucumbers/ but they catch a 

 few in the basins 'long wi' them silver-sided ones." 



From another interesting fellow I gathered that some sixteen 

 Lowestoft boats engage in the November Sprat fishing, while 

 carts from Kessingland and Southwold run up to the Lowestoft 

 market with Sprats, and the boats from those places occasionally 

 run in with their catches. He himself had Eel-pots in the basins. 

 I was accosted by a young fellow, on leaving the Herring basin, who 

 offered me some fine Flounders at a shilling per dozen. He had 

 taken them, with some Eels, in the basin in a folding hoop-net. 



On leaving the wharves I strolled around the older part of 

 Lowestoft, situated below the cliff, taking note of the fishing 

 premises, which do not seem of that roomy and important size 

 * Vide ' Nature in Eastern Norfolk,' p. 101. 



