PILCHARD. 175 



four men, the other three being employed in throwing the 

 net ; and such is the vigour exerted on this occasion, that 

 this great body of net, rope, corks, and lead is thrown into 

 the sea in less than five minutes. The sean at first forms a 

 curved line across the course of the fish ; and while the two 

 larger boats are employed in warping the ends together, 

 the lurker's station is in the opening, where, by dashing the 

 water, the fish are kept away from the only place of escape. 

 When the sean is closed and the ends are laced together, 

 if the body of the fish be great and the sea or tide strong, 

 the net is secured by heavy grapnels, which are attached to 

 the head-ropes by hawsers. It will appear from this account 

 that it is not more difficult to take a thousand hogsheads of 

 fish than a single hogshead ; the only difference being, that 

 with the greater quantity the sean is regularly moored, 

 which with the smaller is unnecessary : it may even be said 

 that the capture of the larger body is most easily effected ; 

 for, as its motion is slow, its course is not so speedily altered. 



When the evening has closed in, and the tide is low, 

 they proceed to take up the fish. For this purpose, leaving 

 the stop-scan as before, the volyer passes within it, and lays 

 the tuck-sean round it on the inner side : it is then drawn 

 together so as gradually to contract the limits of the fish, and 

 raise them from the bottom. When disturbed, they become 

 exceedingly agitated ; and so great is the force derived from 

 their numbers and fear, that the utmost caution is used lest 

 the net should either sink or be burst. When the tuck-sean 

 is thus gradually contracting and the boats surround it, 

 stones suspended from ropes, called minriies, are repeatedly 

 plunged into the water at that part where escape alone is 

 practicable, until the fish then to be taken up are supported 

 in the hollow or bunt of the sean. 



When brought to the surface, the voices of the men are 

 lost in the noise made by the fish as they beat the water. 



