112 HISTOBY AND METHODS OF THE FISHEEIES. 



a little backward. This, the typical manner of setting, is varied, of course, by many circum- 

 stances as winds, tides, position of vessel, or the narrow spots to which the fish may be confined. 



Before speaking of the hauling of the trawls it will be best to consider the arrangements 

 about the dories and the baiting. Before starting, the crew, according as the disposition of the 

 men inclined them, had become divided up into pairs for dorymates, but not until we were well 

 on our way were lots drawn to decide upon their respective dories. Previous to the drawing of 

 these lots the dories, which were entirely without internal arrangements, such as seats, &c., were 

 kept amidships, three on each side of the vessel, firmly lashed, upside down, one within the other, 

 to the deck. The dories were numbered from one to six, and six slips of paper were prepared, 

 each having one of these numbers on it. These, being thrown into a hat, were drawn by one from 

 each pair of dorymates, each having the dory with the number corresponding to the one on his 

 slip. Boards had been brought for making seats, and, as might have been expected, different 

 degrees of proficiency were displayed by the men in working them up. The men in each dory are 

 expected to do everything pertaining to their own boat, such as taking care of dory, baiting, set- 

 ting, hauling, and keeping the trawls in good condition. 



Two barrels of pickled menhaden were taken to use for the first baiting, or until enough fresh 

 bait had been caught for this purpose. Afterwards the cod and smaller halibut were employed, 

 and when these were not enough the napes of the larger halibut were used. The bait is cut up into 

 strips about six inches long and an inch square at the end. The cutting of this is done mainly on 

 the roof of the cabin, by large, heavy knives. Thick planks had been nailed on top of the cabin 

 for this purpose, and the men of each dory had their places for chopping (for the cutting is more 

 of a chopping than anything else) chosen by lot. There not being room on the cabin for all the 

 men, those of the forward dories used boards laid across the large flitchiug tubs for cutting their 

 bait. 



After enough bait is cut, the skate of trawl is placed on the cabin, and, being untied, the skate 

 is taken away from the coil and spread out on the deck below. The fisherman then commences at 

 the top of the trawl, and, baiting the hooks as he proceeds, recoils it again on the skate below 

 The baited hooks are thrown into the center of the coil. Both the chopping of bait and the bait- 

 ing are lively times, and wonderful stories are told about the speed with which some fishermen 

 can perform these operations. There is, however, a limit to the speed with which these can be 

 done well, and those who boast most of their quickness are, ten to one, not the best fishermen. 



The skates, baited and tied up, are ready for the water, and, if the set is to be made immedi- 

 ately, they are placed in the stern of the dories. When the weather is favorable it takes about 

 fifty minutes to set four skates to a dory, but when either tide or wind is strong more time is 

 necessary. Two to four hours are allowed from the time of setting to the time of hauling. 



The hauling is usually commenced from the outer end, so that the men may work toward the 

 vessel and have less distance to row should they be so fortunate as to secure a load of fish. When 

 the buoy is reached the oars are taken in and laid one side, where they will be the least in the 

 way; a roller, whose wheel is four to six inches in diameter, with two or three grooves on its rim, 

 is fastened to the side of the dory near the bow ; the buoy is taken in, unfastened from the line, 

 and placed in the stern of the boat, and the hauling commences. The roller is almost indispensa- 

 ble. The line is hauled over this by the man in the bow, who does the hauling, and is then passed 

 on to the man in the stern, to be by him coiled up and put with the buoy in the stern. (The stern 

 is separated from the rest of the boat by a cross-partition of boards.) 



After the buoy-line and anchor have been taken into the boat comes the fishy part of the haul 



