THE TEAWL. 49 



The Traiul. — The trawl is of tlie ordinary pattern. 



Beam. — Runners. — A wooden " beam/' usually made of 

 elnij of 44 to 47 ft. long, according to the size of the boat 

 using- it, is fixed on two iron " runners " — the " trawl- 

 heads " — and by this means raised 2 to 3 ft. from the 

 ground. 



Net. — A purse-shaped net, open at both ends and about 

 85 ft. long, is attached, the upper edge of its mouth to the 

 beam of the trawl, the lower edge to a rope — the " ground 

 rope " — which is in its turn fastened to the lower portion of 

 the runners. By this means the mouth of the net is kept 

 open. The hinder end of the net, which is much narrower 

 than the mouth, is closed during trawling by a rope, which 

 is tied round it ; and when the trawl is hauled up with the 

 fish in it, it is hung suspended over the deck, this rope is 

 cast loose, and the catch falls out on to the deck. 



Net breeding. — The trawl nets are made or " bred " by the 

 fishermen themselves while at sea. They are made of hemp 

 twine, and are prepared for work when completed by steeping 

 them in a hot solution of tar. The mesh of the net varies 

 from about 4" square at the mouth to 1^" at the hinder or 

 '' cod " end of the net.* 



Wear of Net. — The upper part of the net, or '^ back,'^ 

 lasts — with good luck, i. e. if no anchors or wrecks or rocks 

 are come across — for twelve months. The lower part, or 

 " belly," on the other hand, is usually worn out in four 

 months, and this in spite of the fact that it is guarded by 

 extra netting ; the lower part of the " cod end " of the net 

 wears out faster than the other lower portions on account of 

 the collection of material at that end and consequent heavier 

 weight on the ground. 



Spans. — Two ropes called the " spans " or " bridles,'' 

 each about fifteen fathoms long, are attached one to each 

 trawl-head and to these " bridles " is attached the " trawl- 

 warp " by which the net is towed. 



understand, however, that they do not bring in a good return for their 

 original cost. 



* For details of the structure of the trawl net, " pockets," " valves," &c., 

 see No. 11. 



VOL. 1, NO. I. 4 



