PILCHARD FISHING, 353 



and no small degree of skill is manifested by the 

 fisherman. The extent and course of a shoal of 

 pilchards is frequently much more correctly as- 

 certained from an elevated part of the shore, and 

 the experienced eye of the fisherman who takes 

 his station on an eminence enables him, from 

 certain indications in the water which would 

 escape the notice of others, to discover those par- 

 ticulars regarding the shoal necessary to a suc- 

 cessful cast of the nets. This he easily commu- 

 nicates by preconcerted signals to the fishermen 

 in the boats, who act on the suggestions thus 

 conveyed to them. A graphic and spirited 

 account of the process is given in an eminent 

 periodical*, with a quotation from which we will 

 close this part of our subject. (s On an eminence 

 above the sea, and probably on a narrow path, 

 paces a strong rough Cornishman in apparently 

 a meditative mood. He carries a branch of a tree 

 or of furze in his hand. He carefully scrutinises 

 the sea, and now and then shades his eyes with 

 his large hand, as if he would descry a far sail. 

 A well laden boat now shoots out to sea, and at 

 this the solitary watcher gazes. Does it hold his 

 son or his daughter? Is he full of fatherly 

 anxiety for his son as he is about to emigrate ? 

 Mark him ! He now frantically waves his branch 

 and his arm in one wide sweep. The folks in the 

 boat see this ; and strange to say, are swayed by 

 this mad motion. He again sweeps round the 



* Athenseum, Dec. 1859. 

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