A HALF-CENTURY OF GROWTH 175 



not large. At the close of the fishing season he usually 

 found employment ashore along the water-front or in cur- 

 ing the codfish preparatory for the markets. In addition, 

 it should be remembered that often the members of his 

 family were engaged in some gainful occupation. Previous 

 to the Civil War and before the invention of machinery 

 for the manufacture of nets hundreds of women and girls 

 were employed in their own homes in making nets for fisher- 

 men of their own household, or for others. In general, 

 however, women were not employed in curing the codfish 

 on shore as they were in the early history of the industry, 

 or as they are in Newfoundland to-day. 



