COD-FISHERIES OF CAPE ANN. 695 



employed ou very rougli ground, as the trawl becomes fastened among 

 the rocks, and is often lost together with all the fish that are on it. The 

 trawl consists of a long rope to which are fastened, at intervals of four 

 to seven feet, smaller lines called " gangings," each bearing a baited hook 

 at its free extremity. These gangings are from two to four feet in length, 

 and number from four or five hundred to even fifteen or sixteen hundred, 

 according to the length of the ground-line. The trawl has an anchor, 

 weighing from 8 to IG pounds, at either end to hold it in position, while 

 buoys, connected Avith these by means of small ropes, float at the sur- 

 face to mark their exact location. When using trawls the vessel usually 

 carries a dory for each member of the crew save the captain and cook. 

 On reaching the grounds these boats are " paid astern, " and as the 

 vessel sails at right angles to the wind, they are dropped in regular order, 

 each being separated from the other by 30 to CO rods. Each man now 

 takes his position in the stern of his boat, and, after throwing out the 

 buoy and line and lowering the anchor to the bottom, slowly pays out 

 the trawl as the wind and tide carry him along. When all the trawl is 

 out the second anchor, with another buoy and line, is dropped, and the 

 man is picked up by the vessel. In case neither wind nor tide carry 

 the boat along with suflBcient rapiditj", the fisherman sculls with one 

 hand while with the other he pays out the trawl ; or, where two go in 

 the same boat, one usually rows so that the trawl may be set in any 

 direction regardless of the winds or tides. Thus we have lines often a 

 mile in length stretched out upon the ocean's bottom, with hooks at regu- 

 lar intervals of five or six feet, and the cod cannot pass without being 

 tempted to take the bait. The trawls are sometimes left in the water 

 only a few hours, but more frequently they remain over night, and are 

 often taken uj) well filled with fish. In hauling, the fisherman fir^t rows 

 to his buoy, and pulls up the anchor with one end of the trawl attached. 

 He then takes his position in the bow of the dory with a trawl-tub be- 

 fore him, into which he coils the trawl as it comes from the water, using 

 his gaff to take the market fish into the boat, and " cutting away " all 

 large but worthless fish, such as sharks and skates. 



Another method of fishing with the trawl, known as " underrunning," 

 requires a second buoy-line attached to a small weight on the end of the 

 trawl, the other line being fastened to the larger anchor only. By means 

 of this second line the trawl is brought to the surface, while the anchor 

 remains on the bottom to mark its original i)Osition. In underrunning, 

 the man stands, as before, in the bow of the. dory with a bucket of bait 

 in place of the trawl-tub, merely passing the trawl over the bow of the 

 boat and again into the water on the opposite side, saving such fish as 

 are found and re-bating any hooks that may require it. This method is 

 often employed for two reasons : first, because it retains for a man his 

 old " berth" where fish may be plenty 5 and, second, from the fact that 

 in this way the hooks are kept almost constantly in the water, so that 

 no opportunities for fishing are lost. 



