MR. A. H. PATTERSON ON A DECAYED TRAWL-FISHERY. 39 
‘ Leman and Ower ’ ; then when fish got a bit scarce we went 
to Botany Gut, off the Humber. In Smith’s Knowle, 20 miles 
east of Yarmouth Church, we used to get a nice lot of plaice, 
soles, and haddocks in eight fathom of water, lor’ the place 
is skimmed out now — and done for. We used to get as many 
fish then in a six hours’ tide as they now get in six weeks. 
The steam trawlers ripped up all the ‘ ross ’-ground, and killed 
the feed. That ross, you know, is full of worms [ sabellc p, 
serpiilce, &c.]. In all weathers they’re rippin’, and tearin’ 
about, and nothin’, neither feed nor fish, get half a chance. 
“ The greatest number of boats I reckon was between 1875 
and t88o ; and the longer they built ’em the better sea boats 
they were. 
“ We used to take in about two ton of ice afore we put to 
sea ; and icing was a regular payin’ business in them days. 
There used to be three great thatched ice houses always busy ; 
two still stand against the bridge, but are used for corn stores. 
A fleet of wherries in them days used to bring from 20 to 30 
tons apiece from the rivers and broads to the ice-houses, when 
they were froze out from navigation, and it paid ’em well. 
Then the Norway ice came over bj' ship-loads and cut them 
out, as ice-factories have ousted them. Things fare always 
changing about, and for the workin’ men — for the wuss. Ice 
was a big item in the sailing days ; and so it is now where 
they’re mostly sailers — as at Lowestoft. 
“ The cutters came every day, when they could find the 
fleet, sometimes they’d miss us, and I’ve known a night’s 
takings thrown overboard again when the ice was short and 
the cutters hadn’t come. The third and fourth hand took 
the fish in the small boat to the cutter ; I’ve seen men and 
boats swamped, and go down afore help could get to ’em. 
I shall never forget one trip, it was blowin’ a fearful gale of 
wind, and the fourth hand refused to go to the cutter ; we’d 
got a nice lot of fish, and it was near the end of Lent, so I 
volunteered to go, bein’ wrong for a mate to do so. We got 
to wind’ard of the cutter, and over with a can of oil, and while 
it was workin’ towards her, slipped the little boat in and went 
along the smoother water. As it was, my hair stood on end, 
