220 REV. R. COWE ON THE "WHITE-FISHERY 



SO very small, seldom exceeding a hundred or two in a night, that the 

 fishermen are not likely to adopt this method very generally. The 

 Tvay of taking them is as follo\A's : Several white hooks, without an}'- 

 halt, are attached to each side of a piece of whale-bone, or of any 

 other material that will answer the purpose, and so secured that they 

 project nearly at right angles to it ; this, which is called a jigger, is 

 let down as quickly as it will descend through the water, by the weight 

 of the lead fastened to it ; and after letting out several fathoms of line, 

 it is jerked up and down, when the fish are taken. Sometimes the 

 herrings take the hooks when the line is running out. The fishermen 

 think that the fish mistake the white hooks for sand-eels. 



But the usual mode of taking herrings is by nets. The nets are 

 from fifty to sixty yards long when stretched out at full length ; but 

 when put upon the ropes to be ready for fishing, they are six yards 

 shorter, as they require to be so arranged as to allow the meshes to 

 open when suspended in the water. Each net is three hundred 

 meshes in width, and has about thirty-two meshes to each yard in 

 length. The average number of nets to a boat is eighteen. Each 

 net is suspended by six buoys, which are composed in some cases of 

 dog-skins, but usually of bladders, one when large, and two tied 

 together when small. The tow or cords between the buoys and the 

 rope of the nets are generally three fathoms long, which is found 

 necessary to allow the ships to pass over the nets without getting 

 entangled, and also to be a good average depth for successful fishing. 

 AVhen, however, the shoal comes so very near the shore that the nets 

 would be torn by the rocks, if let down three fathoms below the 

 surface of the water, and there being little danger from ships so near 

 the land, two fathoms are used, and sometimes only one. The nets 

 are securely fastened to each other by their respective ropes, when 

 arranged in the boat, the buoys being put in at regular distances ; 

 and wlien the ground is reached where the crew mean to shoot or put 

 out their nets, they throw the first buoy over the boat's stern into the 

 water ; and the boat that does this first is understood to be entitled to 

 that berth for the night. The boat is then put right before the wind, 

 way being kept on her sometimes by a part of the sail being allowed 

 to stand, and sometimes by the use of two oars. The nets are put out 

 in a straight line, unless when the nets of the next boat, in the hope 

 of keeping among the fish, causes them to deviate from this course. 

 The newest and best nets are kept next the boat, as being least 

 exposed to danger in this situation ; and the one immediately next the 

 boat is fastened to it by a long and substantial ride rope, technically 

 called the sicing, which lets down this net to the level of the rest. 

 After this is done, the mast is taken down to make the boat ride 

 steadily. The boats and nets, thus secured to each other, drift with 

 the tide during the whole night. In spring-tides, they are frequently 



