286 HISTORY AND METHODS OP THE FISHERIES. 



position farthest aft, while amidships the skipper and one of the most experienced of the crew 

 are similarly engaged.* 



When the fish begin to "pick " the skipper reconnoiters for a better position, and finding that 

 other vessels are having good fishing, orders the crew to coil in their lines and to make sail; away 

 we go in search of another " spurt of mackerel." 



The excitement among the crew, when the mackerel are biting fast, can hardly be described. 

 When the fishing begins, the drumming of the mackerel in the empty barrels is inexpressibly 

 cheering to the fishermen, especially if they have been unsuccessfully hunting for fish on previous 

 days, and adds to their excitement. This sound ceases as the barrels begin to fill up, the reso- 

 nance of the wood being deadened by the accumulation of fish ; it is, however, from time to time 

 repeated as empty barrels are substituted for those which have been filled. Every man is striving 

 to the top of his bent to catch as many mackerel as possible while the "spurt" continues, and, if 

 possible, to catch a larger share than any of his comrades. The emulation to be "high-line" for 

 the day and for the season is extreme. The number of barrels caught by each man is carefully 

 noted, for upon his relative success depends his proportion of the proceeds of the voyage and his 

 reputation as a fisherman. In a single day a high-line fisherman lias caught from 10 to 15 barrels, 

 and since each barrel contains from 150 to 200 mackerel, the rapidity of the men's movements 

 throughout the day may be estimated. In seven or eight hours' fishing he has probably lifted over 

 the side 2,000 to 3,000 fish, to say nothing of throwing over his jig and bringing it back empty 

 almost as many times more. Such cases as this are exceptional, since mackerel rarely continue 

 biting long enough to allow such a number to be taken. At the same time, when a much smaller 

 number is caught, the activity of the fishermen is something to be wondered at.t 



The confusion and excitement are increased by the frequent snarling of the lines and the 

 attempts to straighten them out again. As has been stated, each expert fisherman has ten or 

 twelve lines in his berth, and changes from one to the other according to the rapidity with which 

 the fish are biting or the strength of the wind. Much experience and skill are necessary to enable 

 the fishermen to make these changes understandingly. Little is said while the fishing is going on; 

 the men lean far over the rail in strange attitudes of expectancy with one or two lines in each 

 hand, the hands moving up and down and constantly hauling in and throwing out one of the lines 

 at a time. When it is necessary to haul in one of the lines the others are allowed to drop upon 

 the rail. 



We have described one phase of the life of a mackerel fisherman, but experiences like this 

 may occur only a few times during a season. Mackerel vessels are constantly under sail, cruising 

 hither and thither over great areas of water on the lookout for fish, heaving to and trying more 

 frequently without than with success, except in extraordinary seasons. At night they are hove to, 

 or when mackerel are scarce are making long passages from one ground to another. Information 

 as to the location of the schools of mackerel is passed from vessel to vessel. As they meet, the 

 vessels almost invariably speak each other and compare notes upon the position and abundance 

 offish. 



When a vessel is seeking fish, and heaves to for the purpose of tolling them up, she will con- 

 tinue in this position, as a rule, for about an hour, sometimes longer, when there is any prospect 



* On the mackerel "hookers " the cook stood to fish just aft of the fore-ringing. The large schooners sometimes 

 had a boy forward of the fore-rigging, but this was not the rule by any means. Each man or boy had a certain num- 

 ber of inches measured on the rail and assigned him as his berth. The length of a berth at the rail varied from 3J 

 to 3 feet. 



t LARGE CATCH OF MACKEREL. Schooner Bloomer, of Hingham, with a crew of ten men, caught on Thursday 

 last, between 10 a. m. and 2 p. in., 5,700 mackerel with the hook and line. (Barnstable Patriot, May 28, 1861.) 



