488 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 
until the bottom is reached, when paying out ceases for a moment to allow the 
bag to straighten out without fouling the frame or bridles. The weight of 
the chains and the lower part of the frame and the buoyancy of the wooden 
upper bar makes it easy to land the apparatus right side up. The towline is 
then paid out with a scope commensurate with the strength of the wind, less 
being required in light and more in strong breezes, and the guy lines are bent 
on at such distance from the ship as to give proper 
facility in handling. 
The apparatus is always paid out on the wind- 
ward side, the vessel drifting to leeward with com- 
paratively slight headway, so as to drag the dredge 
at a speed of about one mile per hour. The guy line 
is used to govern the boat’s position with respect to 
the dredge and the wind so as to secure the proper 
direction and speed of drift. Slacking the line puts 
the boat closer to the wind, decreasing both speed 
and headway, while hauling it in puts her off the 
wind, thereby increasing both headway and drift. 
Should the direction of drift carry the dredge off 
Fic. 3.—Section of dredge, frameshow- the edge of the sponge bed, the weather guy line is 
et ai es slacked, the vessel comes into the wind, the lee guy 
is hauled in, the towline is passed under the bowsprit and made fast on the other 
bow, while the vessel pays off on the opposite tack across the bed. 
When the dredge is full, the fact is indicated by the heavy drag of the appa- 
ratus. The headsails are then lowered and the guy line is paid out until the 
vessel is head to the wind. The towline is passed to a snatch block forward 
and is hove in until the bridles come home to the block. Two rather long flying 
bridle lines, not shown in the 
drawing, are then hooked to 
masthead tackles, or usually 
to a pair of davits, and are 
hove in by small hand wind- 
lasses until the iron bar is 
brought level with the rail, 
where it is secured by a couple 
of chain stops. The contents of the bag are then overhauled, the rubbish thrown 
overboard, and the sponges on deck. Three men can handle the vessel and dredge, 
but as the work is carried on day and night the crew generally consists of 5 or 6. 
This apparatus can be employed on smooth bottom only, as the frame is liable 
to foul and the net to be torn on rough rocks, but it can be used at all seasons 
of the year and in all ordinary weather. It is much complained of for its destruc- 
Fic. 4.—Transverse struts sometimes used between bars of dredge frame. 
