156 ALONGSHORE m 



— the fish find themselves hemmed In between the 

 shore and a semicircular wall of net, eighty or a 

 hundred fathoms In length, large-meshed In the 

 arms but of a smaller-scale mesh towards the centre, 

 or bunt; the head-rope corked and the foot-rope 

 leaded, so that the top of the net holds up to the 

 surface while the bottom of It bites the sand or 

 shingle underneath. 



By means of the grass ropes, the two ends of 

 the net are hauled ashore anything up to a hundred 

 yards apart. The haulers on either arm divide, 

 some taking the head-rope and standing up, In 

 order to keep It high, the rest taking the foot-rope 

 and bending down or kneeling, in order to keep 

 it low; all working together and at intervals 

 dragging the two arms across the beach nearer 

 one another: Indeed, the hauling of a seine-net 

 done fitty, with all hands, whether standing or 

 kneeling, properly placed and keeping good time, 

 is like nothing so much as a stationary dance at 

 the land's edge, a votive ceremonial dance under 

 the wide sky, before the inexhaustible sea, the 

 mother of life. 



The mackerel, if it Is not a mere *water-haul,' 

 finding themselves caged, make frantic rushes 

 from one side of the net to the other and from 



