356 
MR. T. J. WIGG ON THE HERRING FISHERY. 
any great extent, and as the boats came in they had to discharge 
at the new Quay, and all the way along here was soon covered with 
Herrings. During the day crowds of residents flocked to the 
Wharf to witness the remarkable scene, which beat all previous 
records. Four ferry boats had all they could do all day to cope 
with the traffic across the river, and the wonder is amid so much 
bustle and confusion that no mishaps occurred to the heavily-loaded 
boats. In striking contrast to the clanging and shouting, services 
were being held for the Scotties, but the attendance was small in 
consequence of the animated scenes going on all along the Wharf.” 
During the first week in November the fishing was again stopped 
for several days, owing to the prevalence of very stormy weather, 
and the scene in the Harbour was a most remarkable one — vessels 
were lying three and four deep from the Fish Wharf quite up to 
the Southtown Bridge, so that the Wharf Master and other officials 
were almost at their wits’ end to know where to berth the craft. 
At one time there was such a crush of boats in the river that an 
intrepid (if somewhat rash) gentleman decided to cross from one 
side of the river to the other by means of the fisliing-hoats, and 
succeeded in doing so.* 
A spell of fine weather was very welcome to the fishers, especially 
to those from the Scotch ports, and some very good catches were 
made during the latter days of November, but evidently the 
Scotchmen had grown tired of enforced inactivity day after day, 
and the majority of them decided to “make up” and leave for 
home. The crews who remained had no cause for regret, for during 
* “ The congested state of the Harbour, which was discussed at the Town 
Council’s meeting on Tuesday, was, perhaps, never more noticeable than it 
was during Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. From the Haven 
Bridge to some distance up the river the boats were lying very thick, and 
only a very narrow channel remained mid-stream. Within a short distance 
of the Town Hall there was an unusually large number of the fishing fleet 
of Scotch and Yarmouth boats laid up owing to the gale, and opposite 
Messrs. Clarke’s milling premises, Mr. Arthur Patterson, an attendance-officer 
of the Yarmouth School Board, and a well-known ornithologist, walked 
across the river on the fishing-boats. He was able to accomplish this some- 
what easily, but was compelled to make a jump of about three feet in the 
middle of the stream. A similar feat has been accomplished on previous 
occasions at the Fish Wharf, prior to the remunerative improvements 
recently effected by.the Corporation, but never before has it been possible so 
high up the river as the Town Hall.” (‘ Yarmouth and Gorleston Times.’) 
