REFORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH xVXD FISHERIES. [02] 



in 1827 by Mr. John Cameron, of Southport, for use on the schooner 

 Echo.* 



The manner in which the labor of grinding bait was distributed 

 among the different members of the crew after bait-mills came into 

 general use varied upon different vessels. Sometimes each man had 

 his " bait day," upon which, in addition to his regular labor of fishing, 

 he "was expected to grind bait for the use of the vessel. 



When fish were abundant the quantity used might be as great as five 

 or six barrels a day. The bait-cutter was expected to have a supply of 

 bait ready, and when there was promise of good fishing the next day 

 would grind what he thought would be needed for the next day's fishing 

 during his watch at night. When he was not forehanded and the fish 

 were abundant he suffered considerable loss, since he was obliged to 

 work at grinding the bait while the others were fishing, and thus failed 

 to obtain his share of the fish. 



On some vessels, in order to obviate this difficulty, it was customary 

 for each man to grind a barrel in his turn, the boys doing their share of 

 the work by cutting the clam bait. The order of their succession was 

 determined by their position at the vessel's rail, the man farthest for- 

 ward takiug the first turn. On other vessels, if a man was not on deck 

 in the morning to help hoist the sails, the penalty for his absence was 

 the grinding of a barrel of bait, a task which required about an hour 

 and a half for its performance. 



When the bait has been ground it is placed in barrels or in the bait 

 chests. The ground bait is an oily mass of yellowish color, resembling 

 in consistency sausage meat. Before it is used water is added to it, 

 and it is then reduced to the consistency of porridge. It now becomes 

 a yellowish slushy liquid with an oily smell, and in this condition occu- 

 pies about twice to three times the space that it did before water was 

 added. In this condition it is sometimes called "chum" or "stosh." 



(/.) Mode of fishing. — The present method employed by mackerel 

 schooners of fishing with hook and line while the schooner lies adrift 

 was first practiced in Massachusetts at the very beginning of the pres- 

 ent century, and the use of toll bait began about the same time. Ac- 

 cording to Capt. Epes W. Merchant, the first man to introduce this 

 method of fishing in Massachusetts Bay was .John Story, of Kockport, 

 about the year 1804. 



The method of "tolling" or "chumming up" the fish by the use of 

 this ground bait resembles the process of calling up a flock of fowls by 

 scattering corn over a large piece of ground. The oily bait is thrown 

 over the side of the vessel, and as the latter drifts along and the bait 

 spreads the fish are attracted by the floating particles most remote from 

 the vessel, and SAvim up toward the source of supply. 



The use of toll bait originated with the shore fishermen, who crushed 



* State nent of Daniel Cameron and Capt, John Gray, of Soutliport, Me., obtained 

 by R. E. Earll. 



