FISHERMEN'S OWN BOOK. 



103 



MODEL OF TRAWLER OF 1882. 



A Trawling Trip. 



BY WALTER HILL, 



Gear Used — Porpoises — Frolic at Canso — On the Fishing Grounds — Setting 

 and Hauling the Trawls, and What We Find in Thetn — Changing Berth 

 — An Uncommon Incident — Putting In for Bait. 



Let us imagine ourselves on board a trawler, well outside, and shaping a 

 course E ^ S for Cape Sable, a distance of two hundred and fifteen miles. 



The lines which compose a trawl are made of cotton, and are in lengths 

 of fifty fathoms, about the size of a lead pencil, and tarred to render them 

 more durable. They are attached at equal distances to a buoy line, and are 

 coiled in tubs or flour barrels cut down, and extend to about three hundred 

 fathoms for each tub. Each dory will "set" about four to six tubs, so that 

 it forms a pretty long string when extended in one direction. For halibut 

 catching the hooks are attached at a distance of two and a half fathoms 

 apart throughout the whole length of the trawl, but for codfishing the hooks 

 are placed a fathom apart. The fishing is done in dories, and two men go 

 in each dory. Our vessel's crew consists of fourteen all told — twelve men, 

 cook, and "skipper" or captain. Much gear is necessary besides the trawl 

 itself, viz., buoys, buoy-lines, anchors, flags, etc. But you will get a better 

 idea of all this when we come to "make a set," by accompanying one of the 

 dories yourself. 



