192 DEEP-SEA FISHING. 



month and one hogshead out of every hundred hogs- 

 heads of fish taken. We have already^ given some 

 account of the mode in which tlie nets are shot, and 

 need here only repeat that the sean and stop-net are 

 united, and the boats from which they are. thrown out 

 start from the same point, but at a right angle to each 

 other, and ultimately meet again after enclosing as 

 much of the shoal as they can manage to surround. 

 When the circle has been contracted to the limits of the 

 sean without the stop-net, the fish, if few, are taken out 

 at once ; but if the catch be considerable, the sean is 

 hauled in towards the land by a warp and berthed in 

 some convenient place, as much as possible out of the 

 way of the tide, which is one of the great difficulties to 

 be contended with in these large seaning operations. 

 It is then securely moored, and if desirable additional 

 support is given to the cork-rope by means of kegs. 

 The fish are now practically secure and cannot escape 

 below, as the foot of the net everywhere touches the 

 ground, and the back-rope is well buoyed up. At low 

 water the fish are taken out by means of the tuck-sean 

 which is shot within the other net, and as it is hauled 

 in the foot is raised and the fish are brought to the 

 surface. They are then baled out in large oval baskets, 

 well known in the West of England under the name of 

 "flaskets," and taken on shore. The operation of landing 

 and carrying the fish to the curing houses, as well as of 

 hauling the sean towards the shore, is performed by a 

 number of men termed " blowsers" ; and it appears 

 likely that the heaving in of the sean-warp, by means 

 of a capstan on the beach, work in which everyone 

 lends a hand, has given rise to the expression " heav-ah, 

 heav-ah" which is heard on all sides when seaning is in 



' Seau-fishiug, p. 157. 



