258 HISTORY AND METHODS OF T1JE FISHERIES. 



as possible, and the sccoud dory is rowed back to tbe seine for tbe purpose of holding up the bunt, 

 since a school of 500 barrels may sink both seine and seine-boat if left without assistance. This, 

 however, rarely occurs, aud it generally happens that the school either is small enough to be dipped 

 into the dory and to be taken to the vessel, or that the seine boat without any assistance is capable 

 of managing them until the vessel is brought alongside. 



While the fish are being caught the cook has charge of the vessel; if it happens to be about 

 meal time he attends to the cooking as best he can, but whether the cakes burn or not the vessel 

 must be cared for, and he generally divides his time between the forecastle and the wheel. If Lc 

 is preparing dinner and is able to, he continues his cooking, taking charge of the vessel at the 

 same time. 



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The vessel usually "lays to," with the jib to windward, not far from the seine boat ; aud perhaps, 

 as the cook sits at the wheel, he has a basin of potatoes before him, which he peels while he is 

 eagerly watching every movement of the seine-boat, trying to ascertain whether his mates are suc- 

 cessful, and, if so, to what degree. 



When the dory has been rowed aboard, the men at once take measures to bring the vessel 

 alongside of the seine-boat. The evolution of shooting alongside of a seine-boat (described else- 

 where) calls into play all the skill of the steersman. The vessel must approach so near that a 

 rope may be thrown to the men in the seine-boat, and iu such a manner that she will move slowly 

 enough not to tear the seine as it is pulled along, before the schooner is " bowsed to the wind- 

 ward " and her motion ceases. 



The cork-line is then taken over the side of the vessel and made fast by " stoppers " along the 

 rail. This having been done the process of drying up is resumed, and the fish are gathered together 

 in a compact body so that they can be dipped out upon the deck. When the fish are to be taken 

 on deck the men are distributed as follows: Three or four are employed in hoisting the fish by means 

 of a large dip net attached to the maiu and fore staysail halyards; the captain directs the move- 

 ments of the net, holding its long handle, and shouting "Hoist!" when it is about half full of fish 

 two men standing by the rail empty the dip-net on the deck. 



When all the fish have been bailed out the seine is overhauled and salted. In the mean time 

 most of the crew are making preparations to dress the fish. If the school is large, the crew, cook 

 and all, unless it is just at meal time, begin the work as soon as the fish are ready; if the catch 

 of fish is small, aud there is a prospect of getting another set that day, a part of the crew take 

 the seine out of the seine-boat to niend it, if necessary, and lay it back in an orderly form so that 

 it may be thrown out without difficulty. 



The operation of setting a seine around the school and pursing it up usually occupies from ten 

 to twelve minutes, though it is claimed by some expert fishermen that they have done it in seven 

 minutes. Under unfavorable circumstances it may be nearly an hour from the time the first end 

 is thrown out until the "pursings" are on the boat. This delay is usually caused by a strong tide, 

 such as is generally found on George's. The catch of a purse-seine may vary from one barrel to 

 five or six hundred barrels. The seine may be set eight or ten times in the course of a day without 

 getting any considerable quantity, or perhaps no fish, the mackerel escaping by diving under the 

 "lead-line"; aud then a more fortunate set will secure more fish than can by any possibility be 

 taken care, of by the crew of the vessel. Under such circumstances it is customary to set a flag 

 from the main-topmast head or main peak. This is to indicate to vessels which may be in sight 

 that more fish have been caught than can be taken care of, and that the skipper is willing to dispose 

 of some of them. This is called "giving the seine away." Sometimes the Dsh are given away to 



