Page:Shetland Folk-Lore - Spence - 1899.pdf/142

 line. He feels a heavy weight and knows it to be the nud o' a fish (i.e., a halibut, which is never named, but always spoken of as da fish or da glyed shield). Nothing comes more welcome to the gunwale of the haf boat. It provided a valuable nabert (bait), and on its toothsome fish the crew feasted when on shore. The blugga-banes of the halibut were stuck in the waa o' da lodge and under the eft hinnie spot o' da sixern for luck. A large skate frequently formed part of the catch, and when deposited in the shott its formidable caudle appendage was a source of annoyance to the man in the kavel, until he took his sköne and sneed aft her skövie (cut off the tail). The hauling of the lines in ordinary circumstances occupied from four to six hours.

It will be readily understood that these small boats, going to such a distance from the land and having such a length of lines to haul by hand, would be frequently overtaken by a storm, and ran the risk of