FISHERMEN'S OWN BOOK. 167 



tain and a small boy ; after a little manoeuvering the schooner sailed close 

 to the seine, got a portion of the cork-line on board, so that the catch was 

 brought between the vessel's side and the seine boat. A large dip-net, with 

 tackle and a long handle, was made ready, and in a few minutes the living 

 mackerel were thrown upon the deck by the half-barrel. The captured fish 

 in the seine became, in the mean time, very uneasy, and rushed from one 

 side of the seine to the other ; suddenly the seine burst in many places ; 

 they sought to haul in the seine, both in the boats and on board, and after 

 much trouble they succeeded in retaining and heaving on board a total of 

 about 50 barrels. The rest of the mackerel escaped through the large holes 

 in the seine. 



As soon as the catch was secured on board they took in all sail and be- 

 gan on the preservation of the mackerel. With small dip-nets the fish were 

 thrown in a square trough, and from this, as they were cut and washed, they 

 were assorted according to size. The fish was split or cut in the belly (.'') 

 about as cod which are manufactured into split fish. While sprinkling them 

 with salt they give them some slight cuts in the back to make the flesh swell 

 and give the fish a fatter and fuller appearance. This is a trick which both 

 the sellers and buyers understand. Twelve men are engaged at a time with 

 the salting, while the remaining two men examine and repair the seine. In 

 the space of two and a half hours 47 barrels stood ready salted. For every 

 four barrels of fish was required one barrel of Liverpool salt, the packing 

 being done later on shore. 



The next morning at 6 o'clock we were again in the boats, made a new 

 cast, but caught nothing. At 8 o'clock we were again out, went half way 

 round with the seine, when the whole school sank to the bottom. We caught 

 nothing. The mackerel were wild and shy, played a little at the surface of 

 the water, but vanished quickly, to emerge again farther away. The mack- 

 erel schools were very large this day ; for as far as we could see on all sides 

 they were playing on the surface of the water. We made no catch notwith- 

 standing. The captain's attempt to entice the school with "chum" also 

 failed. At 11 o'clock we again made a cast, but took only eight mackerel. 

 At 2 o'clock, P. M., we made the fourth east and got a couple of barrels ; 

 at 4 o'clock, another cast, and took 10 barrels, but small mackerel ; and at 

 6 o'clock we made another, but got almost nothing save small fish. This 

 was a laborious day ; but, notwithstanding, we were the next day, at 5.30 in 

 the morning, again in the boat, made a cast, but simultaneously the school 

 turned around and made their escape. We saw many schools also this da}^, 

 and at 6.30 we were again on the way after one. This time we were suc- 

 cessful. They estimated the catch in the seine at 400 to 500 barrels. They 

 were very large and fat mackerel. After some trouble, the vessel sailed to 

 us, got a portion of the seine on board, and the taking in the fish was about 



