388 



NOTES ON THE HEBEING, LONG-LINE, AND PILCHARD 



fore, apparently takes one and a half shares, but of this he pays a 

 quarter of a share to the skipper, while at least half a share must 

 be devoted to the expense of maintaining the bolter in proper 

 condition ; he receives, therefore, only three quarters of a share 

 clear for the boat and bolter. Years ago it used to pay ; the boats 

 were then much smaller, and only used from 600 to 800 hooks ; now 

 they have 1500 to 2000 hooks per boat. 



On February 4th, for instance, I find from my notes that all the 

 long-liners were in harbour for want of bait. The same thing 

 happened on March 1st. Bait was scarce almost all the winter, 

 while at the close of March matters were so bad that pilchards had 

 to be sent by train from Falmouth, costing lis. per 1000 and bs. 

 per 1000 for carriage, each boat requiring 800 (the large pilchards 

 make two baits, the smaller only one). One boat on this occasion 

 used a bait of half squid and half pilchard, and took 4^ cwt. of 

 conger, two dozen rays and skates, and six ling, making £6. The 

 other boats had pilchard bait only, and took 2 cwt., | cwt., and 

 three conger respectively, making £2 to £3. One who took only one 

 conger made £7 by rays and skates. The mixed bait of pilchard 

 and squid is found to be the best ; the latter, however, depends 

 upon the trawlers, in their turn dependent on the weather ; while 

 the scarcity and expense of the former will be seen from the tables 

 given below. 



III. The Pilchard Fishery. 



