126 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



bulkheads subdivided into three or four sections. The water is in the forward part of the hold, 

 and often on the Banks is taken on the deck to make room for the fish. The hold is almost entirely 

 filled with salt, and as fast as the pens are emptied the partitions are knocked down, and when 

 the hold is filled with fish there are no divisions left, the fish forming one great pile in the body of 

 the vessel from the keelson to the deck-beams. 



The provisions, as in other fishing vessels, are stowed next to the forecastle bulkhead, but when 

 the vessel is well filled up they are often moved from this position and packed away wherever it 

 may be most convenient. 



Many of the hand-liners of the present day have the deck provided with a set of checker- 

 planks similar to those already described as in use upon the halibut trawlers. The arrangement 

 on deck in other respects corresponds in the main to that on the halibut vessel, though most of 

 them have booby-hatches over those leading to the hold, the object of these being to prevent the 

 splashing of salt water into the hold when the vessel is rolling this being much more necessary 

 with a load of salted fish than with a load of iced fish.* This arrangement, though very convenient, 

 is not practicable on board of the halibut-catchers during the winter season, and therefore it is not in 

 favor at any time. Another objection to their use on the halibut vessels is that the halibut cannot 

 be conveniently passed through a hatch protected in this manner, on account of their weight 

 and the difficulty of lifting them to the necessary height above the deck. The hand-liners require 

 no bait-boards on account of the character of the bait used in this fishery. 



The old-fashioned deck hand-liners were accustomed to carry on each side of the deck several 

 usually from three to four "fish kids." These were boxes 7 or 8 feet long, and about 3 or 4 feet 

 wide, and about the same height as the bulwarks. They were arranged along the rail on each side 

 of the vessel and divided into two compartments. When there were two upon one side of the ves- 

 sel's deck one was placed between the fore and main rigging, and the other one on the quarter be- 

 tween the main rigging and the taffrail ; when there were three, two of them were usually placed 

 on the main deck between the fore and main rigging and the other on the quarter. In the interval 

 between the "kids" stood two fishermen, each of whom were thus provided with a receptacle for 

 his fish. 



The quantity of salt carried by a hand-liner is the same as that carried by a cod-trawler of the 

 same size. The supply of water is, however, very much greater, since, unlike the trawlers, 

 the hand-liners do not expect to visit any harbors during their voyage, after they have once reached 

 the Banks. The quantity of water carried is from 60 barrels to 120 barrels, while the trawlers 

 rarely carry more than 30 barrels. 



4. APPARATUS AND METHODS OF FISHING. 



BOATS. The old fashioned deck hand-liners, like the Georgo's-men, carried a single yawl boat 

 at the stern. 



When dories were introduced, the vessels at once adopted the custom of carrying a dory for 

 every man in the crew except the skipper and the cook. The number at present carried will vary 

 from 8 to 20, according to the size of the vessel. The dories are generally 12 to 13 feet in length 

 on the bottom and, at night or during rough days on the Bank, they are piled in two or three nests 

 on the quarter of the vessel, bottoms down. During the passage, the nests of dories are turned 

 bottom up and lashed down. 



A dory fully equipped for fishing and ready to leave the vessel is fitted with the following arti- 



* It is impracticable to have booby-hatches on halibut schooners, since it is often necessary, especially in winter, 

 to move the dories amidships during gales, when the vessels are at anchor on the Bank. 



