Page:Shetland Folk-Lore - Spence - 1899.pdf/136

 "felt 'im" (became aware of a fish biting), he "gi'ed 'im da fadam," i.e., he hauled in an arm's length of line with a sudden jerk. The vaaving that held the vaarnakle or berjoggel (the wooden hook or rather pin) in an upright position now relaxed, and it turned horizontally across the mouth or throat of the fish, holding it fast while the fisherman gently drew it to the boat amidst profound silence, as it was deemed most unlucky to speak while a fish was being hauled. Long after the introduction of the modern hook, fishermen still used vaav when fishing with very soft bait. Formerly sinkers were made of klamal or soap-stone, instead of lead as at present, and to this day fishermen speak of the haandline stane or lead stane, a remnant of the ancient practice. Quite recently one of these ancient sinker stones was lifted on a fish hook at a haf seat off the north part of Unst.

These frail boats ventured a good distance from the land, Rönies or Rönis Rh