[21] THE HALIBUT FISHERY—DAVIS’ STRAIT. 209 
ferent part of the bank in August than the preceding month, and also 
to a difference in the food of the fish. 
8.—APPARATUS AND METHODS. 
The fishing is done by means of trawls. A trawlis composed of several 
parts. first, there is the “ground line,” which is anchored at each end, 
and lies on the bottom. The hooks are attached to lines 5 feet long, 
called gangings, which are in turn fastened to the ground line at every 2 
fathoms, sometimes at every 25. To mark the position of each end of 
the trawl, a line extends from the anchor at the end of the ground line 
to a buoy on the surface of the water. 
The main or ground line is about a quarter of an inch in diameter, 
and is made up of parts, 50 fathoms long. Each of these parts has one 
end fastened, so that it will not unsavel, while the other has a loop 
spliced in it. The end not spliced is tied by a knot, that is both strong 
and secure, but still easily untied, to the loop end of the next part. 
The trawls can thus, by using more or less of these 50-athom pieces, be 
made of any desired length, but, when not in use, six of these parts are 
usually kept fastened together, and are then called a tub or skate of 
trawl, according to the manner of keeping them. In fishing for cod and 
haddock, and formerly in the halibut fishery also, they were kept coiled 
up in tubs; whence the name “tub of trawl,” meaning 300 fathoms of 
trawl. But now, in the latter industry, they are kept in what are called 
skates. 
A skate is a piece of canvas about a foot and a half square, having 
two pieces of rope, 6 feet or so in length, so fastened across it that an 
end projects from each corner. Upon this canvas the 300 fathoms of 
trawl are coiled and firmly secured by the ropes, tied together above. 
The phrases “tub of trawl” and “skate of trawl” are often synony- 
mous. Thus on the Bunker Hill, though no tubs were used to keep the 
trawls in, it was quite common to hear the fishermen speak of setting 
two or more “tubs of trawl.” 
The buoys used on this trip were of two kinds: the “boat buoys” and 
“keg buoys.” The boat buoys were blocks of wood, three feet long, 
cut in the shape of a round-bottomed row-boat, and coated with tar. 
The buoy line is attached by means of a swivel to the under part of the 
buoy, just in front of the middle. Back of the middle is bored a hole 
from top to bottom, through which passes the flag-pole. This pole fits 
in loosely so that it turns freely and can be taken out for easy packing 
in the dory. In order that it may not slip too far through’ the hole, a 
piece of leather is nailed round the pole above the hole, and, to keep it 
upright, a weight is attached to its lower end. The flag is a small can- 
vas painted black. These buoys are not, however, so serviceable as the 
keg buoys, which are small water-tight kegs, holding a little over a 
quarter of a barrel. Through the keg runs the flag-pole, tightly wedged 
in to prevent leakage and strongly fastened by stout lines to prevent 
S. Mis. 29 14 
