THE HERRING FISHERY. 431 



The nets are set at varying depths ; they are at times placed on the surface, and at others 

 sunk to a depth of 1 or 2 fathoms, in which case heavier sinkers are attached to the bottom of the 

 net, and the " tail ropes " of the buoys are increased to the desired length. As soon as the nets 

 have been properly set the fishermen return to the vessel. 



If a large catch is expected the nets are visited about midnight for the purpose of " under- 

 running." By this method the net is not removed from its moorings. The fishermen proceed to 

 one end of the string, raising the net, passing it over the top of the boat, and returning it to the 

 water on the opposite side as fast as the fish are removed. In this way only a few feet of the net 

 are out of the water at a time, while the balance is fishing as usual. The fish are either shaken or 

 picked out of the nets, as is most convenient. The time required for underrunning depends wholly 

 upon the size of the catch and the number of nets that are out. 



One object in underrunning the nets at midnight is to secure an additional quantity of her- 

 ring; another is to remove a portion of the catch, and thus prevent the nets from being so heavily 

 loaded as to injure them by the weight of the fish. 



When there is no indication of a large catch the nets are not visited till morning. At the 

 approach of dawn the work of the fishermen begins, and soon the glimmer of lights may be seen 

 in all directions, as they move to and fro about the decks of the vessels making their preparations 

 for " a start." A little later they enter their boats and are off for the fishing grounds. The nets 

 are usually reached by daybreak, when they are at once loosed from their moorings and hauled 

 into the boat with the fish still hanging in the meshes. If the berth is a good one, the moorings 

 are left in the water to mark the position and to retain it for another set. The boat, with its load, 

 at once returns to the vessel. The nets are then taken on deck, where the fish are removed. They 

 are then carefully examined and mended, if need be, after which they are placed in the rigging of 

 the vessel or carried to the adjoining shore to be thoroughly dried. 



GILL-NET FISHING FOE BAIT. For many years .prior to the introduction of frozen hen-ing into 

 the American markets the vessels engaged in the cod fisheries of George's and Brown's Banks and 

 other fishing grounds in the Gulf of Maine usually carried from three to six herring nets, to be 

 used in the capture of herring for bait. These were sometimes set from the vessel's stern as she 

 lay at anchor on the fishing grounds, but quite as frequently the vessel proceeded to the deep 

 water off the edge of the bank, where she was hove to under her mainsail and foresail in such a 

 manner that she might drift in a direction at right angles to that in which she was headed. The 

 nets were then put out, their inner end being attached to the mainmast by means of a long rope 

 called a net-string. As a rule, the vessel was hove to in the evening and allowed to drift during 

 the greater part of the night. 



When the nets were to be taken in all hands were called to assist in the work. The nets were 

 at once hauled on deck, after which the fish were removed. When the catch was small the fish 

 were usually placed in barrels or tubs, to be used during the day's fishing ; but when a large 

 quantity were secured, the greater part were transferred to the hold of the vessel, where they were 

 iced or lightly salted, to be used later in the fishing. After the fish had been stowed away, the 

 nets were washed and hung upon the stern to dry. 



It frequently happened that enough fish were taken at a single set to last until a fare was 

 secured. At times when the fish were large and fat the surplus was often sorted and carried to 

 market. Occasionally, however, herring were found very scarce, and vessels had great difficulty 

 in securing a supply, a longer time being required in catching the bait than in using it. It was 

 largely due to this fact that the frozen herring met with such general favor when they were first 

 introduced. 



