SALT-HALIBUT FISHERY. Ill 



more or less of these 50-fathom pieces, be made of any desired length, but, when not in use, six of 

 these parts are usually kept fastened together, and axe then called a tub or skate of trawl, 

 according to the manner of keeping them. In fishing for cod and haddock, and formerly in the 

 halibut fishery also, they were kept coiled up in tubs, whence the name "tub of trawl," meaning 

 300 fathoms of trawl. But now, in the latter industry, they are kept in what are called skates. 



A skate is a piece of canvas about a foot and a half square, having two pieces of rope, 6 feet 

 or so in length, so fastened across it that an end projects from each corner. Upon this canvas the 

 300 fathoms of trawl are coiled and firmly secured by the ropes, tied together above. 



The phrases "tub of trawl" and "skate of trawl" are used interchangeably. Thus, on the 

 Bunker Hill, though no tubs were used to keep the trawls in, it was quite common to hear the 

 fishermen speak of setting two or more "tubs of trawl." 



The buoys used on this trip were of two kinds, the "boat-buoys" and "keg-buoys." The boat- 

 buoys were blocks of wood, 3 feet long, cut in the shape of a round-bottomed row-boat, and coated 

 with tar. The buoy-line is attached by means of a swivel to the under part of the buoy, just in 

 front of the middle. Back of the middle is bored a hole from top to bottom, through which passes 

 the flag-pole. This pole fits in loosely so that it turns freely and can be taken out for easy packing 

 in the dory. In order that it may not slip too far through the hole, a piece of leather is nailed 

 round the pole above the hole, and, to keep it upright, a weight is attached to its lower end. The 

 flag is a piece of canvas painted black. These buoys are not, however, so serviceable as the keg- 

 buoys, which are small water-tight kegs, holding a little over a quarter of a barrel. Through the 

 keg runs the flag-pole, tightly wedged in to prevent leakage and strongly fastened by stout lines 

 to prevent its coming out. To this is fastened the flag above and the buoy-line below. The great 

 advantage of these last over the other kind of buoy is their, greater buoyancy; for the boat- buoys 

 were continually being carried under by the force of the tide, so much so that it was frequently 

 necessary to use two of them in place of one. On the other hand, the keg-buoys were liable to 

 burst, an accident rendering them fit only for the fire. Unfortunately only ten keg-buoys were 

 brought on this trip; not enough for each dory to have one at each end of its trawl. The matter 

 was settled by using one of these for the outer end of the trawl, while one or two of the boat-buoys 

 were used at the inner end. 



The typical manner of setting a trawl is in a straight line, across the direction of the tide; 

 for if the fish swim either with or against the current a greater number will cross the ground- 

 line Ijing in this direction than in any other. Two men are necessary for the operation. One 

 man sits in the bow of the boat, rowing slowly in the required direction, while the other, in the 

 stern, sets the trawl, by first throwing out the inner buoy, with its attached buoy-line, to be 

 followed by the inner anchor. This, in turn, is succeeded by the ground-line, outside anchor, 

 buoy-line, and keg-buoy. The length of a trawl varies, according to circumstances, from one to 

 four skates, that is, from 300 to 1,200 fathoms. 



As already stated, two men in a dory were necessary for setting a trawl, and as there were six 

 dories, three for each side of the vessel, twelve of the crew were required for the fishing, while the 

 captain and cook made the whole number fourteen. Each dory had by lot a particular position 

 assigned to it, and according to this was its relative place of setting the trawl. The vessel at 

 anchor would naturally have her bow toward the tide, and thus the middle dory, on each side, by 

 setting in a line at right angles to the length of the vessel, would set exactly across the tide, the 

 most favorable direction. In order not to be too close together, the dories in front of the middle 

 ones would set in lines running a little forward, while the stern dories would set in lines running 



