FISHING-VILLAGES AND FISHING-IMPLEMENTS IN DENMAKK. 175 



required, however, for the eel is very sly, and a few sea- weeds or a little 

 white stone at the entrance of the trap is sufficient to drive it away ; 

 and if only one mesh be broken, or if it be a little larger than the others, 

 we may be sure that the eel which has been caught will find the weak 

 place, and tail foremost, work his way out. Three kinds of eel pass 

 through the sound, and, strange to say, of two of these not one can ever 

 be seen by day at the bottom of the sea, while the third is occasionally 

 seen among the seaweeds. 



9. Apparatus for holding the eel-trap, (boiv-net.J — The eel-trap or bow- 

 net is an old invention, and is known and used throughout the greater 

 part of Europe. But, so far as we are aware, it is nowhere else placed as 

 it is here, owing, of course, to the peculiar locality. While, in many other 

 places, a pole is fixed at the bottom, to which the trap is fastened, they 

 have on the coast of the sound a special apparatus for this purpose 

 called " vager," which is laid before the traps are put in position, and 

 which remains at the bottom of the sea when they are taken out to be 

 dried. This apparatus is not in the way of ships, as a pole might be; is 

 strong enough to resist any current ; aud enables the fishermen easily to 

 take the trap out and again place it in its exact position. 



10. An eel-trap on its "vager," as placed at the bottom of the sea. — This 

 exceedingly practical arrangement dates from a very ancient period, 

 perhaps a thousand years back, as is proven by the technical terms 

 applied to its different parts, Danish words entirely out of use now, but 

 common at that distant period. Snekkersteen owns 6S0, and Skotterup 

 240 of these bow-nets. Like the casting-nets, they are never all used at 

 the same time, about one-fourth being kept as a reserve. Such a bow-net 

 complete costs from 17 to 20 rigsdalers, and lasts from 4 to 6 years. 

 They are made either of flax or of cotton, and their manufacture is a 

 favorite employment of the fisher-families during the long winter even- 

 ings. The places where these bow-nets are set are sold by the govern- 

 ment to the fishermen at a high price. The profits, of course, vary very 

 much. A fisherman, who kept an exact account, says, that in 1861, he 

 caught 352 rigsdalers' work of eels in 21 bow-nets; in 1862, 216 rigs- 

 dalers' worth in 30 nets ; and in 1871, 197 rigsdalers' worth in 19 nets. 



11. Bow -net for catching sJvrimps. — The location is not favorable for 

 shrimps, aud they are but rarely caught here as an article of food; they 

 chiefly serve as a bait for the haddock. 



12. " TJlhen" a sort of net for catching shrimps. — This is dragged after 

 the boat, in order to catch the shrimps, which are so deep in the water 

 among the sea-weeds that the fisherman cannot wade in and catch them 

 with — 



13. The u hoven, v an implement which he pushes before him. To this 

 branch of fishing belong also — 



14 and 15, two different hinds of nets or u hoven" for catching shrimps. — 

 In winter the shrimps go into deeper water, (from 3 to 4 fathoms,) and 

 live among the masses of sea- weeds torn off by the currents and the 



