The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1908-08-26

II
ice is transferred by means of a chute,
at the upper end of which is a crush
ing machine, which breaks the blocks
of ice into small pieces before allow
ing them to travel down into the fore
hold of the "cutter," as a fish-bearing
steamer is called.
On the following morning we had
plowed our way out on to that part
of the fishing grounds in which the
feet had been last heard of, SO a
sharp lookout was kept; but it was
not until late in the afternoon that the
trawlers were sighted. In thick or
foggy weather. and. indeed, even in
fine, it is often no easy matter to To-
cate a fleet, as the fishing vessels are
continually on the move, and a cutter
might pass and repass quite close
without sighting them. Finding the
feet often occupies days.
As luck would have it, we came
across three fleets all fishing within
sight of one another, forming a ver-
liable floating town, extending in all
directions as far as the eye could see.
Having located our feet, the Hellyers,
and steamed up to it, the trawl was
cast; for each cutter carries a trawl.
and uses it whilst waiting for her
turn to load and return to London.
The weather by this time was COM
paratively fine, and the fleet began to
close in upon another cutter, which
was to take the nights catch to mar
ket. One by one the trawlers came
up, lowered their boats, and loaded
them with boxes of freshly caught
fish. Boarding" is a lively scene in
any weather. The cutter lies idly
rolling to the swell, surrounded by a
crowd of boats; on the deck of the cut
ter man stands waiting to receive
the boxes one at time; while in the
bow of the boat that is being unloaded
stands another with a box of fish
ready, waiting for the moment when
the motion of the waves brings him
level with the cutters rail-
The visitor may rest assured of a
cordial welcome aboard the mission
ships, the largest and most modern of
which is the Queen Alexandra. These
vessels constitute the centers from
which stores, tobacco and clothing are
distributed to the floating population
of the fleets.
The crew of the mission ships are
no idlers, for as soon as boarding is
over, and the last of the boats that
have called to bring patients, or come
to purchase tobacco or stores, has left
the ship. the trawl is got out; and they
fish just the same as the other men,
bers of the feet, except on Sundays,
when services are held aboard. In
deed, the mission boats give a very
good account of themselves as fisher
men, their catch generally comparing
well with those of the crack boats of
the fleet.
Another interesting feature of the
North sea trawling is the manner in
which the fleets are unanswered. Each
has an admiral whose trawler is the
flgship; and all captains must obey
instructions as to the direction in
which they are to steam; otherwise
the fleet would obviously get hopeless
ly scattered in few hours, and it
would be impossible to concentrate
around the cutter in the morning to
discharge their fish.
During the daytime flag signals are
used; but at night, once every half
hour, a cOlored rocket scars into the
sky from the admiraIs trawler, con-
veying directions as to the course to
be steered, according to the color dis
played.