376 WHALING AND FISSlNO. 



and the fingers of his right hand, extracts the 

 entrails and throws the cleaned fish into a bar- 

 rel of salt water at hand. *' Dressing" fish is 

 disagreeable work in itself, but generally passe* 

 off lively enough, as it is the concluding scene 

 in what fishermen call "a day's work." One 

 now learns how much he has in reality caught, 

 and miser-like plunges up to the armpits in the 

 riches he has that day won. Then too, dressing 

 is enlivened by many a jest, and anecdote, and 

 song, every body feeling joyful at the events of the 

 day, and hopeful for the success of the voyage. 

 And while the operation of catching fish is fol- 

 lowed with an intensity and ardor which does not 

 admit of the slightest flagging of attention, dressing 

 is the very reverse, and may be made as lively as 

 possible without detriment to the work. 



Soon after commencing to dress, the whole 

 fleet gets under way, and steers toward the land, 

 which is faintly visible under our lee, the wind 

 being from the northeast. Going square before 

 it, we soon near the land, and as we do so, both 

 wind and sea increase. We have a grand chance 

 to try the sailing qualities of our little boat a 

 3hance which a mackerel man never neglects ; 

 for next to getting a good share of fish, a man is 

 considered most .fortunate if he has a smart sail- 

 ing vessel. "We overhaul a good many, and are 

 badly beaten by a few of the vessels, as might 

 be expected in so large a fleet. And as we 

 come into competition with some new vessel, 



