MACKEREL. 145 



far west as Cape Clear, and the fish taken in their nets are 

 salted in bulk on board the boats. They even obtain two or 

 three full cargoes in the course of the summer ; which proves 

 that more use is made of salted Mackerel in France than in 

 this country." A small quantity is so preserved in Cornwall, 

 which is consumed by the poorer classes. 



The vignette, from a pen-and-ink sketch by Mr. Couch, 

 represents the apparatus as used when fishing for Mackerel. 

 The ascending line is that which hangs from the boat ; the 

 line connecting the leaden plummet and the hook is called 

 the snood or snoozing ; the bait is cut thick near the hook, 

 and thinner backwards, that it may vibrate when drawn 

 through the water. 



This mode of fishing has been described in glowing terms 

 by the author of " Wild Sports of the West" (of Ireland) 

 thus : 



" It was evident that the bay was full of Mackerel. In 

 every direction, and as far as the eye could range, gulls and 

 puffins were collected ; and to judge by their activity and 

 clamour, there appeared ample employment for them among 

 the fry beneath. We immediately bore away for the place 

 where these birds were most numerously congregated, and 

 the lines were scarcely overboard when we found ourselves in 

 the centre of a shoal of Mackerel." 



" The hooker, however, had too much way ; we lowered 

 the foresail, double-reefed the mainsail, and then went stea- 

 dily to work. Directed by the movements of the birds, we 

 followed the Mackerel, tacking or wearing the boat occasion- 

 ally, when we found that we had overrun the shoal. For two 

 hours we killed those beautiful fish, as fast as the baits could 

 be renewed and the lines hauled in ; and when we left off 

 fishing, actually wearied with sport, we found that we had 

 taken above five hundred, including a number of the coarser 

 species, known on this coast by the name of Horse Mackerel." 



VOL. I. L 



