[67] HISTORY OF THE MACKEREL FISHERY. 157 



is asked in which direction it bears from the vessel. He also directs 

 how the course shall be laid in order to approach close to the body of 

 fish. In the mean time the men below, having been hurriedly awakened, 

 rush on deck and quickly take their places in the seine-boat and dory 

 which are towed alongside or astern. If the mackerel "show up" well 

 and can be plainly seen by the men in the boat, the latter is cast off as 

 soon as the vessel approaches close to the school, and the seine is set 

 and pursed up in the same manner as has before been described j 

 though it frequently happens that owing to the darkness of the night, 

 it is sometimes diflBcult to bring the ends of the net together with such 

 a degree of certainty and success as it is generally done in the daytime. 

 Of late, however, the custom of carrying a light in the dory has been 

 adopted in order that the skipper, who steers the boat, can determine 

 the position of the end of the seine first put out and therefore be ena- 

 bled to make a circle with a great deal more accuracy than he otherwise 

 could. It often happens that fish can only be seen by the man at the 

 mast-head, and in such cases, the vessel is usually hove to near the 

 mackerel, and the lookout directs the men in the boat how to row in 

 order to surround the school. Another method, we are told, has been 

 occasionally adopted when the chance for its success is promising. If 

 the wind is sufficiently moderate the lookout at the foremast-head may 

 direct the course of the vessel in such a manner that nearly a complete cir- 

 cle may be made round the school of fish. In this case the seine-boat 

 remains fastened to the stern and is towed along by the vessel while 

 the men in her throw out the seine in obedience to the order given by 

 the man at the mast-head. At the proper time she is cast off and pro- 

 ceeds to close up the circle by bringing together the ends of the seine. 

 The dory is cast off and allowed to remain at the end of the seine as 

 usual uutil the other end is brought around to her. An evolution of 

 this kind, of course, requires the most skillful seamanship for its success, 

 and also remarkable qualities of adaptability in the vessel.* 



* Night fishing, says Capt. Joseph Smith, can only be carried on in reasonably mod- 

 erate weather. The boat is usually towed alongside of the vessel, the painter being 

 fastened to the out-rigger. When a school is seen, the men jump into the boat, each 

 taking his station, and at the proper time the boat is cast off and proceeds to set the seine 

 if the fish "show up" in a promising manner. Sometimes, however, the school of 

 mackerel may sink suddenly after the boat leaves the vessel's side, and, in consequence, 

 the fishermen are not able to set their seine. As a rule the man on the lookout aloft 

 reports the school of fish and indicates the direction in which it is and tells about how 

 far it is distant. After the boat leaves the vessel's side, however, the captain, or seine- 

 master, who steers, takes charge of her, and when the boat approaches near the fish, 

 which may be seen by the phosphoresence in the water, he gives the order to put out 

 the seine as his judgment may direct. On special occasions this method may be some- 

 what varied, but the usual practice of setting a seine in the night is the one described 

 above. Sometimes a portion of the net is set from the boat while towing astern of the 

 vessel ; or, again, even while the boat is towing alongside. In the latter case the tow- 

 ing rope is fastened to the boat some distance aft from the stem, so that she will keep 

 ixom the schooner's side some ten or fifteen feet. The oarsmen have out their oars 



