96 Mr. L. Hommedieu on manner of taking Porpoifcs. 



from the anchor : The other boat goes off foon after the firH;, 

 and in hke manner puts out the fmall feine, till it is faflened 

 to the other end of the great one. The fifli are then entirely 

 inclofed. A number of flakes are put down in the beach, 

 oppofite the great feine about three rods afunder ; a capflan, 

 which two men can carry, is fallened with a rope at the 

 outermoft ftake at each end. A large rope from the capftan 

 is faflened to the lead-rope of the feine, and each end is hove 

 up by two men with this capilan; and after the feine is hove 

 up to the capflan by the rope, the rope is then fleeted and 

 fallened again to the fame lead-rope, at the edge of the water ; 

 and, as often as is neceffary the capflans at each end are brought 

 nearer together and faflened to the next flakes. As foon as 

 the fmall feines are afliore, and you begin to dravv^ on the 

 great feine, three or four boats are fent behind the feine, 

 and the top line of the feine is Hfted on the gunnels of the 

 boats, left the porpoifes fliould make an attempt to jump over ; 

 hitherto, they have been very eafy and quiet, but as they find 

 they are circumfcribed within a fmall compafs, and the water 

 begins to grow fhoal they grow uneafy, and colled: together 

 in a body, and as if by mutual confent or agreement, they 

 all go as one with their utmofl force againfl the bag of the 

 feine : Their force is fo great when there are many together 

 that it is neceffary to let the capflans run, left fomething might 

 give way •, after this attempt to efcape is over, they do not 

 make the fecond exertion, but become very gentle, fo that 



