The state herald., 1908-08-28
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fine. Il is often no easy matter to 10.
cate fleet, as the fishing vessels are
continually on the move. and a cutter
might pass and repass quite close
without sighting them. Finding the
fleet often occupies days, and now and
then a cutter is even compelled to run
back into Hull for more coal. after a
fortnights unsuccessful search for her
own particular feet.
As iucs would have II, we came
across three fleets all fishing within
sight Of one another. forming a YER
liable floating town, extending in ell
directions as far as the eye could see
Having located our fleet. the Hellyers,
and steamed up to 1t. the trawl was
cast. for each cutter carries a trawl
and uses Il whilst waiting for her
turn TO load and return TO London.
The weather by this time was com
paraiiyely 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 lively scene in
rRny weather. The cutter lies idly
polling TO the swell. surrounded by a
crowd Of boats; on the deck Of the cut
ter n man stands waiting TO receive
the boxes one at a time; while in the
bow Of the boat that Is being unloaded
stands another with box Of fish
ready. waiting for the moment when
the motion of the waves brings him
level with the cutters rail. In an In
stant he has placed one end of the
heavy box upon H. and Il has been
grasped by the man on deck; and the
boat drifts away again, and another
box is got ready for the next oppor
mnlty. when the boat Is empty Il
makes room for another. and so on
until every trawler In the fleet has
transferred her catch to the cutter
Then follows the even more lively
scene of taking In empties In order
that each may have a good supply Of
boxes In which to pack the next nights
catch.
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 contsrs from
which stores. tobacco and clothing are
distributed to the floating population
of the fleets
The crew Of the mission ships are
no idlors, for as soon M boarding IL
over. and tho last Of the boats that
have called to bring patients. or come
10 purchase tobacco or stores, has left
the ship. the ,raw II got out: and they
FISH Just the same as the other mem
bers OF the feet. except ON Sundays,
when services are held aboard. In,
deed, the mission boats give very
good account 0f themselves ~ fisher
men, their catch generally comparing
well with those of the crack boats Of
the noot The contents of the bar
each haul VARIES from two 10 three
boxes Of flsh TO 100 or oven moro when
a uhoal Of cod N struck. So wolghty
nro these biz catches that. at times.
Ia hoist them aboard would be TO risk
tho bursting Of the net and loss of an
the fiHh, 80 boats are got out. and
many nsh secured NJ The net hangs
Ia the water at tho ships side. Even
hf'er such haul. II N by no meant
certain that there viii be any ilsh tho
next time the net il brought up often
only one or two tfawlsra out Of the
whole feet viii got good hauln.
Another interesting feature of the
Nurth hra trawllnE h the manner In
which the fleets are Unanswered Each
has an admiral whose tfAwlor ia the
nEHhip. and all captains must obey
instructions AZ 10 the direction In
which they hfo To steam. otherwise
the feet would obviously get hopeless
ly scattered In fow hours. aud II
would be- impossible 10 concentrate
around the cutter Ia the morning to
their fish
During tho daytime Has signals ara
used. but a. night once every hall
hour, q colofod rocket s0ars into tho
sky from the admifai's trhNlor. con,
ycyinR directions as 10 tho course To
be steeroi. according 10 the color dis
played,