104 
Modern Business Geography 
the water the dories that have been stacked like saucers on the deck. 
A crew of two in each dory throws out a buoy to which is fastened 
one end of a trawl. This is a rope perhaps a mile long, from which 
at intervals of about six feet hang lines three feet long, ending in 
hooks baited with bits of mackerel. The other end of each trawl is 
fastened to an anchored buoy. 
At regular intervals the fishermen *under-run ”’ the trawl by pass- 
ing it over the dory, taking off the fish, rebaiting the hooks, and drop- 
ping it into the water again. If a snow squall or fog overtakes a dory 
while it is getting its load of cod, the men may lose sight of the ship, 
and become lost; or heavy seas may break over the boat and pre- 
vent it from regaining the schooner. The fishermen sometimes row 
for days before being rescued, and may be crazed by thirst, almost 
starved, or badly frozen even in relatively warm months. Hundreds 
of men are lost on the Grand Banks each year. 
How the fish are prepared. When the laden dories return safely 
to the schooner, the fish must be dressed. One man in a group 
cuts off the fish’s head and splits open the body. Another removes 
the organs, saves the liver for its oil, and throws the rest away. The 
third with two quick slashes of a long knife removes the backbone. 
The fish slide from one hand to another with almost incredible speed, 
and except when dulled knives are changed for sharper ones, no 
breathing spell is taken until the day’s catch is dressed, washed, and 
salted down. Then the men drop into their bunks and sleep the 
sleep of physical exhaustion. 
In spite of the dangers and hardships of the fisherman’s life, there 
is no lack of fishermen. There are always men who love the life on 
the waves with its freedom and excitement. 
How cod from the Banks are disposed of. When a schooner 
reaches port after a three or four months’ trip it usually has a hold 
full of fish. These are graded according to size, salted again, 
and spread in the open air upon light frames, or “flakes,” until they 
are thoroughly dried. Many thousands of tons are annually shredded, 
packed in small boxes, and sold widely as “boneless cod.” Glouces- 
ter and Boston are the chief centers for the fishing fleets because their 
harbors face the fishing banks and are near the large markets of the 
northeastern United States. Gloucester packs great quantities of fish 
for distant markets and has large glue industries that use the refuse 
skins and bones of the fish. Cod are sometimes called the bread 
of the sea,” because of their abundance. Even those who live far 
from the codfishing grounds can use these fish, which are readily pre-