THEIR ROUND OF LIFE AND LABOUR. 33 
wall or in some modified form, is also used in various 
other fisheries than those for members of the herring 
family ; in fact it is used occasionally for the taking of all 
sorts of fish, and not for one fish in particular. When con- 
ducted in that way seining is denominated “blind fishing.” 
We may briefly describe here the labours undergone by the 
fishermen of Cornwall in connection with the working of a 
seine net, the use of which is so to enclose the fish of a 
shoal as to prevent their escape, and keep them alive till 
the men and women can carry them ashore to the curing 
houses. 
The industry of pilchard catching by means of the seine 
net is pretty well organised, as may be seen in the bay of 
St. Ives in the months of September, October and 
November ; with its many picturesque developments this 
mode of pilchard capture is well worth watching ; when 
a shoal has been successfully surrounded by the nets, a 
period of great activity at once ensues, the work accom- 
plished during which speedily makes up for many days of 
enforced idleness. About the period when the fish may be 
expected to come inland, patrols are appointed to parade 
the high places of the coast, and give notice, by means of 
preconcerted signals, of the approach of the pilchards. 
These persons are designated “huers,” and are chosen for 
their qualities of quick-sightedness and general activity. 
These sentinels of the Cornwall pilchard fisheries take each 
a spell of duty of three hours’ duration, there being two 
men to each look-out station. They used to signal to the 
fishermen by means of a branch held in their hand; but cn 
the St. Ives stations there is a staff on which is fixed a 
movable ball of a white colour, by means of which directions 
are telegraphed to the boats to indicate the locality of the 
shoal. These men who raise the hue and cry on the ap- 
D- 
