s' sailing, the smack arrived off the fishing ground;
but another two days were spent in finding the fleet, as the
fishing grounds extend over a distance of some hundreds of miles.
When they came up with it, William Gale was astonished at the vast
number of boats that dotted the sea.

In the Yarmouth fleet there are between four and five hundred
vessels and, were it not that the most perfect order and discipline
reign, the number of accidents which would occur, from so many
boats fishing close to each other at night, would be terrible. The
fleet is commanded by one of the most experienced skippers, who is
termed the admiral. His authority is absolute. He leads the fleet
to the grounds he selects for fishing and, by signals by day and
rockets by night, issues his orders--when the nets are to be
lowered down and drawn up, the course which is to be steered, and
the tack on which they are to stand.

The fishing is entirely done at night. The trawls are let down
about dusk, and the fleet attached to these moving anchors forge
slowly ahead and to leeward, until daybreak. Then the trawls are
got in, and the fleet sail in a body to the spot where the admiral
decides that fishing shall be continued in the evening. At 10
o'clock at night the trawls are hauled in, and the nets emptied.
All hands are called up for this operation. When it is concluded,
the trawl is again lowered and the fish cleaned and packed; by the
light of a torch formed of rope, dipped in tar. The watch who have
hitherto been on deck turn in, and the others remain on deck until
morning, when the nets are again hauled in.

There is not, indeed, much for the watch to do; as the smack needs
no steering, and the attention of the men on deck is directed
chiefly to see that no other smack drifts down upon them. Should
there appear any danger of this, a flare is lit to warn the other
smacksmen. The trawl rope is slacked out or hauled in, as the case
may require and, generally, volleys of strong language pass between
the respective crews.

The trawl beam is a heavy pole, some 30 or 35 feet long. At each
end are fitted strong iron hoops, of about three feet in diameter.
These keep the pole from touching the ground, and keep open the
mouth of the net; one side of which is attached to the pole, while
the other drags along the bottom. The net resembles in shape a
long, deep purse; and has various pockets and other contrivances by
which, when a fish has once entered i