210) REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [22] 
its coming out. To this is fastened the flag above, and the buoy line 
below. The great advantage of these last over the other kind of buoy 
is their greater buoyancy; for the boat buoys were continually being 
carried under by the force of the tide, so much so that it was frequently 
necessary to use two of them in place of one. On the other hand, the 
keg buoys were liable to burst, an accident rendering them fit only for 
the fire. Unfortunately only ten keg buoys were brought on this trip; 
not enough for each dory to have one at each end of its trawl. The 
matter was settled by using one of these for the outer end of the trawl, 
while one or two of the boat buoys were used at the inner end. 
The typical manner of setting a trawl is in a straight line, across 
the direction of the tide; for if the fish swim, either with or against the 
current, a greater number will cross the ground line lying in this diree- 
tion than in any other. Two menéare necessary for the operation. One 
man sits in the bow of the boat, rowing slowly in the required direction, 
while the other, in the stern, sets the trawl, by first throwing out the 
inner buoy, with its attached buoy line, to be followed by the inner 
anchor. This, in turn, is succeeded by the ground line, outside anchor, 
buoy line, and keg buoy. The length of a trawl varies, according to cir- 
cumstances, from one to four skates, ¢. ¢., from 300 to 1,200 fathoms. 
As already stated, two men in a dory were necessary for setting a 
trawl, and, as there were six dories, three for each side of the vessel, 
twelve of the crew were required for the fishing, while the captain and 
cook made the whole number fourteen. Each dory had by lot a partic- 
ular position assigned to it, and according to this was its relative place 
of setting the trawl. The vessel at anchor would naturally have her 
bow toward the tide, and thus the middle dory, on each side, by setting 
in a line perpendicular to the length of the vessel, would set exactly 
across the tide, the most favorable direction. In order not to be too 
close together, the dories in front of the middle ones would set in lines 
running a little forward, while the stern dories would set in lines run- 
ning a little backward. This, the typical manner of setting, is varied, 
of course, by many circumstances, as winds, tides, position of vessel, or 
the narrow spots to which the fish may be confined. 
_ Before speaking of the hauling of the trawls, it will be best to consider 
the arrangements about the dories and the baiting. Before starting, the 
crew, according as the disposition of the men inclined them, had become 
divided up into pairs for dory mates, but not until we were well on our 
way were lots drawn to decide upon their respective dories. Previous to 
the drawing of these lots, the dories, which were entirely without internal 
arrangements, such as seats, &c., were kept amidships, three on each side 
of the vessel, firmly lashed, upside down, one within the other, to the deck. 
The dories were numbered from one to six, and six slips of paper were 
prepared, each having one of these numbers on it. These, being thrown 
into a hat, were drawn by one from each pair of dory mates, each having 
the dory with the number corresponding to the one on his slip. Boards 
