222 The Commercial Products of the Sea. 



smaller than the latter. Each of these will hold 70,000 

 menhaden (16 or 17 tons). They are employed in taking 

 the fish ashore after they are caught. The seines are made 

 of strong cotton twine, and are 130 fathoms (780 feet) long, 

 and from 80 to 100 feet deep. At the eastern end of 

 Long Island, where the fishing is in deep water, the depth 

 is even greater. Along the bottom of the seines run lines, 

 arranged so that they can be drawn up like an old- 

 fashioned purse whence the name " purse-seines." The 

 top of the seine is attached to buoys of cork or wood, and 

 these, when the whole is thrown into the water, hold the 

 upper edge at the surface, while the remainder hangs 

 vertically beneath it. The seine is loaded into two boats, 

 which also form a part of the outfit of the yacht, and are 

 always with her when not engaged in taking fish. 



Thus furnished, the yachts start on a cruise in search of 

 the fish, which go in immense schools. When a school is 

 met with, it is necessary to drop the seine in front of them ; 

 otherwise no fish would be taken, as they would swim 

 away in front before the seine could be closed around them. 

 The boats get ahead of the school, and pay out the seine 

 as they separate. When the school is fairly in the seine, 

 the boats come together and completely surround the fish. 

 At the point where the boats first started, a heavy weight, 

 called a "torn," is attached to the bottom of the seine, and to 

 this weight, which rests upon the bottom, are fastened the 

 lines which " purse " up the bottom, and prevent the fish 

 from escaping below. When the bottom is drawn to- 

 gether, the men haul the seine into the boats and shake the 

 fish down into the " bunt/' as the bag or purse formed by 

 the seine is called. They then signal for the carry-ways, 

 which come alongside. The fish are taken out of the seine 

 into the carry-ways by means of dip-nets. If the school is 



