weather, a small well-built boat of from ten to twelve feet will be perfectly safe, especially if built expressly for this purpose; but in the open sea a much larger and stronger boat will be requisite. The long line may be from five to six thousand feet in length; one of six thousand feet would take five hundred hooks, and these must be twelve feet a part. The lines to which the hooks are attached are called snoodings, made of strong whipcord three feet in length; the hooks the ordinary size sold for cod fishing. The best bait is fresh herring. If you cannot get these, then salt ones, after being well soaked, will be a tolerable substitute. One herring will make three baits. The head must never be used.

It will require time and trouble to bait this line and arrange it properly in a basket for setting. Two buoys will be wanted, one at each end of the line, attached by a separate cord. The best time for setting this line, if fish are abundant, is at break of day, allowing it to remain in about three hours; if, however, fish be scarce, then it may be set in the evening and taken up the first thing in the morning. You cannot be too particular in this respect, as you may have taken some large conger eels; and although they may have remained perfectly quiet till morning, yet as soon as daylight appears they commence their endeavours to liberate themselves; in which attempt they are very

likely to be successful, greatly to the prejudice of your line.

Having ascertained the best place for setting your line, and having it baited and properly arranged, with your two buoys with a cord to each end of a hundred feet in length, or more, according to the depth of the loch, and two good-sized stones of sufficient weight to keep your line steady when set, you will proceed with your boat with two men, as one man would not suffice if there were anything of a sea. When arrived where you intend commencing, you will set one of your buoys afloat, it having been previously well filled with air and attached to one of the cords; to the extreme end of which you will fasten one of the stones and the end of the line, letting the same gradually down till it reaches the bottom, when the men may commence rowing the boat in the direction you desire as fast as the letting out of your line will admit of, taking care to keep the line tight during this operation. When you reach the other extremity of your line, you will fasten the other stone, and, after having attached the cord to which the other buoy is appended, you will let the stone gradually down, and then as you row off you may set the other buoy afloat; it will soon find its proper position.

If the two stones are of a proper weight, the line will lie steadily between its extreme points,

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and offer sufficient resistance to hook the fish when they bite. Be very particular in fastening the stones securely. When you return to take up your line, you can proceed to either buoy, being guided in this respect by wind and tide; and having secured one draw in the line over your hand till you reach your main line with the hooks, you will then draw up the stone, and, having removed it, fasten the end of your line to the side of the fish basket or box; you will then commence gradually drawing up your fish, the man or men rowing keeping the boat in the position you wish.

Do not allow your line to become slack; and as you draw it in place it carefully and regularly in the basket, after the fish have been removed. The latter must be gaffed as soon as they reach the surface, and lifted into the boat; there being an experienced person expressly for this purpose; for this operation must be performed cleverly and promptly, or many a fish may escape, especially the large conger eels, whose throats it will be advisable to cut the moment you get them into the boat, as they are very savage and will sometimes make a disagreeable use of their teeth. Never attempt to lift a fish of any size into the boat with the line. The person who gaffs the fish ought to unhook them immediately they are in the boat, and till this is done you ought not to proceed in taking up your line.

With this line, in a good season, you will frequently fill your boat with first-rate fish. In addition to cod, haddock, ling, and conger eel, very fine large skate are taken; and when in condition and of the first quality are an excellent fish. In cold, frosty weather these fish are considerably improved by being hung up in the open air for several days; having, in the first instance, been skinned, the bad parts cut away, the remainder thoroughly cleaned and washed. Besides skate, various monsters of the deep are sometimes taken, more curious than serviceable.

The most amusing part of this fishing is the taking in of the line, although some consider the gaffing of the large fish equally amusing; and perhaps it is more exciting, especially where a large conger eel is in question, as from their tortuous, rapid, and violent evolutions, they are difficult to gaff exactly as you desire, and care is necessary in depositing them in the boat, so as, in the first instance, to avoid their teeth, before they are rendered harmless, this act being immediately necessary for your security; but the person who performs this operation will find a pair of waterproof over-alls indispensably necessary, or a pair of long fishermen's boots, and also a thick pair of warm woollen gloves. In some of the lochs in the west of Scotland the cod and haddock are very fine, being weighty and of first-rate quality.

I have taken the former from 20 to 30 lbs. weight, and the latter from 5 to 8 lbs.

On one occasion, having visited a neighbouring loch in company with a friend (in the month of November), with the assistance of three men, and the use of a good boat, with our long line baited with salted herrings, as we could not procure fresh ones, we made two ventures, leaving our line in, on each occasion, three hours, and caught thirty fine cod and seven or eight haddock. Many of the cod were 25 lbs. weight, and some few 30 lbs.-none less than 10 or 12 lbs. weight. The haddock were from 5 to 8 lbs. weight, and as good in every respect as the Dublin Bay ones. If we had had fresh herrings, I am convinced our success would have been considerably greater. Our line had 500 hooks.

There are many other baits nearly as good as the herring. The mackerel comes first, and after that a shell-fish called bucky; and as these can be kept alive, fishermen generally have a good supply of them at hand. They are easily caught on those shores where they abound, by means of a wicker basket as a trap; it is flat at bottom and round at the top, with a small opening. The basket is baited with the offals of fish, and then let down to the bottom by a rope, a small buoy being attached to mark the position. There is a heavy stone in the inside of the basket to keep it down.