leets were like large villages on the sea. At the time of
which we write, and it may be so to this day, fast vessels came daily
to collect the fish they caught and to take the catch to market. Once
in every three months a vessel was permitted to return to its home
port for rest and necessary re-fitting, and then the men of her crew
were allowed one day ashore for each week they had spent at sea. Now
and again there came to the hospital sick or injured men returned from
the fleet on these home-coming vessels.

When Grenfell passed his final examinations in 1886, and was admitted
to the College of Physicians and Royal College of Surgeons of England,
Sir Frederick Treves suggested that he visit the North Sea fishing
fleets and lend his service to the fishermen for a time before
entering upon private practice. The great surgeon, himself a lover of
the sea and acquainted with Grenfell's inclinations toward an active
outdoor life, was also aware that Grenfell was a good sailor.

"Don't go in summer," admonished Sir Frederick. "Go in winter when you
can see the life of the men at its hardest and when they have the
greatest need of a doctor. Anyhow you'll have some rugged days at sea
if you go in winter."

He went on to explain that a few men had become interested in the
fishermen of the fleets and had chartered a vessel to go among them to
offer diversion in the hope of counteracting to some extent the
attraction of the whiskey and rum traders whose vessels sold much
liquor to the men and did a vast deal of harm. This vessel was open to
the visits of the fishermen. Religious services were held aboard her
on Sundays. There was no doctor in the fleet, and the skipper, who had
been instructed in ordinary bandaging and in giving simple remedies
for temporary relief, rendered first aid to the injured or sick until
they could be sent away on some home-bound vessel and placed in a
hospital for medical or surgical treatment. Thus a week or sometimes
two weeks would elapse before the sufferer could be put under a
doctor's care. Because of this long delay many men died who, with
prompt attention, would doubtless have lived.

"The men who have fitted out this mission boat would like a young
doctor to go with it," concluded Sir Frederick. "Go with them for a
little while. You'll find plenty of high sea's adventure, and you'll
like it."

In more than one way this suited Grenfell exactly. The opportunity
for adventure that such a crui