But he slipped into her conning
tower safely, and no one on the British side was hurt.
So great is the danger from mines, unless they are watched and tackled
the whole time, that thousands of mine-sweeping vessels were always at
work, manned by British fishermen who had been handling gigantic nets
and mile-long steel hawsers (ropes) ever since they had gone afloat as
boys. These North Sea fishermen, in whom the Viking blood runs strong,
had always put in eleven months sea time every year of their lives. So
storm and fog and clammy numbing cold had no terrors for them as they
worked their "sweepers" to and fro, fishing for the deadly mines.
Sometimes, for all their skill and care, a mine would foul their tackle
and blow them to pieces. But usually they could "gentle" a mine to the
surface and set it off by rifle shots at a safe distance. Sometimes,
however, a hitch would happen and the mine would come close alongside.
Once a mine actually came aboard, caught fast in the tackle. The
skipper (captain) ordered all hands into the boats, and then himself
cut it clear after a whole hour's work, during which one false touch or
even the slightest jolt would have blown his ship to smithereens.
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