[9] THE ICELAND FISHERIES. 85 
rope of the net, rows quickly towards the shore, casts anchor, joins the 
rope to the capstan, and commences to haul in the net; the net-boat 
meanwhile surrounds the school in a semi-circle, as far as the net will 
stretch, then rows towards the shore with the other rope and acts in the 
same manner as the capstan-boat. In order to hold up the buoy-line 
more floats are attached to it, and when both ends of the net are close 
to the shore the herring are surrounded without any hope of escape. 
It is evident, however, that this method of catching fish depends 
altogether too much on accidental circumstances to give a safe and in 
any way calculable result. The proper home of the herring is the sea, 
and only every now and then do they go into shallow water for the pur- 
pose of spawning. The spawning process, however, may also go on in 
the deep sea, but only in exceptional cases when the temperature of the 
water in the fiordsis too low. 
The first condition for the Norwegian to catch herring is, therefore, 
that the herring come near the coast; secondly, that his attention is 
drawn to them, 7. e., that he either feels or sees them before the net is 
cast. Both these indications may mislead; and, although the Norwe- 
gians have of late years furnished the proof that by the above-mentioned 
method of catching fish the capital invested may be doubled, I would 
not advise any one but a capitalist to follow this method, for under un- 
favorable circumstances one may have to wait for years until the money 
invested pays any interest. 
A much more rational method of fishing is that pursued by the Dutch 
and Scotch, viz, the drag-net method, as thereby one makes himself 
independent of the migrations of the herring and follows them to their 
home—the sea. With good sea-going vessels, cutters and luggers, the 
Dutch and Scotch fishermen go over a vast extent of sea with their drag- 
nets. 
The Norwegian Association for the Advancement of the Fisheries has 
become fully convinced of the great importance of the drag-net method ‘ 
and has sent Norwegian fishermen to the Netherlands and to Scotland 
to become acquainted with their methods of fishing. 
To return to the Iceland herring fisheries in their present condition, 
I will quote the following from the official report of the Bergen Board of 
Trade: 
“Three expeditions left Bergen for Iceland in 1880, one with two nets, 
fitted out by Mr. I. E. Lemhkuhl, one by the Bergen-Mandal Company, 
with one net, and one by a joint-stock company in Bergen, with one net. 
“The first-mentioned expedition comprised one vessel of about 950 
tons burden, with a crew of 16 men, which sailed for Iceland in the be- 
ginning of June, with materials for erecting a large salting-house; five 
nets with everything belonging to them; a large net-boat, and several 
small boats. Soon after the first vessel another one sailed taking out 
about 2,000 tons salt, one large net-boat, and other materials. In July 
these vessels were followed by a steamer and a yacht, with a crew of 12 
