20 
when we brought on hoard a large boulder, and it seemed that we 
got among quite a number of them. The skipper told me that on 
the previous occasion he had never had a “split” on this ground, 
which he seemed to know very well, so that the stones seem to be 
exposed and covered by the strong currents of that region shifting 
the sand. We kept on at this ground, however, until Monday, 
when the skipper decided that he had had enough of it, — not of fish, 
but “ splits,” — and he now directed the boat to off Sumbrough 
Head. The lead disclosed again a good fishing ground of coarse sand 
in 64 — 65 fathoms. The “dan” was set down, and the fishing com- 
menced once more. One haul, however, was quite sufficient. There 
were fish, but the cod end contained besides a larger boulder than 
the first one, and which tore the net so severely that it was not 
completely mended again during the voyage. I was pretty sure 
some of the crew were looking upon me now in the light of 
a bringer of ill-luck. We had got by this time perhaps about 
£50 worth of fish on board, which would not be a paying 
catch at all. The skipper elected to change the ground again, 
and try what could be done in the deeper water off Fair Isle. 
We accordingly went back to W.N.W. of the island, and began 
fishing late on Monday night in 72 — 75 fathoms. To make 
things somewhat worse, the night promised to be a wet one. 
But in the morning it rapidly cleared up into a fine day. On this 
day, Tuesday, I took the temperature of the surface water and found 
it to be 51° F. at f>45 a.m. The air at 10’45 a.m. was 54° F., at 
3 pan. 58° F. and became cooler again at night. 
I found in the morning that they had been catching a fair 
number of fish, and fortunately were keeping free of “ splits.” We 
were now using the starboard gear, and as the day went on we got 
bigger and bigger catches, which consisted first of a large quan- 
tity of cod, and then, just as the skipper desired, without the cod 
decreasing in number, an immense quantity of haddocks was added 
to the catch. The first catch of cod was about as much as could be 
lifted on board, hut after about a four hours’ drag — the common 
time given — the second haul, when we struck what we might call 
this Klondyke of fishes, there were so many in the net that the crew 
dared not bring it in. The cod end was brought alongside and fixed, 
and the skipper slit the net open and with the aid of his men began 
to bale it out with a basket. Even when it was so lightened of its 
load that the cod end could be brought on board, the net could not 
