110 DEEP-SEA FISHING. 



When it is thought desirable to haul in the whole 

 fleet of nets the warp is led through a snatch-block 

 fixed near the mast-hole, to the capstan, passing under 

 a roller just in front of it, and which keeps the warp 

 low down when it makes its first turn, the conical shape 

 of the capstan preventing any overlapping of the turns 

 of the warp afterwards, and ensuring its free delivery 

 over the roller into the rope-room, where a boy coils it 

 down so as to be ready for running when it is again 

 wanted. One hand, who from his particular duty is 

 called " cast ofl" seizings," disconnects the nets from the 

 warp as it comes on board ; the mate and another man 

 are stationed at the nets, one of them at the corks, the 

 other at the lint, and get them in ; and tw^o more, of 

 whom the master is generally one, pass them over the 

 " scudding pole," which is fixed fore and aft between 

 the mitch-board and the mast. " Scudding the fish," 

 as it is termed, enables them to be easily shaken out of 

 the net, whence they fall on the deck and then through 

 temporary openings into the well or hold. The nets 

 having been cleared of fish are then sent down to the 

 net-room, where they are taken charge of by the net- 

 stower. Everything is thus done in a systematic manner, 

 and the nets and warp are all clear for making a second 

 shot as soon as the first haul has been completed. As 

 soon as the fish are all out of the nets they are sprinkled 

 with salt ("roused" or " roosed ") and stowed away in 

 their proper compartments, the "wings" of the hold. 

 If, however, the haul of fish be a heavy one, only part 

 of the nets are got on board at first, and the fish from 

 them salted and stowed away ; then the remaining nets 

 are got in and the work completed. 



When the night's fishing is over, the mast is got into 

 place again, sail made, and the vessel either returns to 



