THE SEA FISH OF TRINIDAD AS SEA-FOOD 39 
possible, and in such a position as to be out of the way, and 
at the same time conveniently placed for lowering again 
when required. All this may be easily effected by having 
the beam of such a length in proportion to the size of the 
vessel that when hoisted up one end of it may come over the 
taffrail, with the iron head just clear outside, and the fore 
end in front of one of the shrouds. The object and use of the 
beam is to extend the mouth of the net, but in order to allow 
room for the fish to enter, the beam, and with it the back of 
the net which is laced to it, must be raised a certain distance 
from the ground. For this purpose the beam is fastened at 
each end to the top of an iron frame, shaped somewhat 
like an irregularly formed stirrup, which is fitted to it at right 
angles by a square socket at the top. By these ‘heads’ or 
‘irons,’ the beam is supported at a height of nearly 3 ft. 
from the ground, and, contrary to the popular idea on the 
subject, never touches the bottom. The lower part of the 
trawl-head or iron is straight and flat, just like the corre- 
sponding part of a stirrup. It is called the ‘shoe’ and is the 
part which slides over the ground as the trawl beam and 
following net are towed along. We now have the long beam 
supported at each end by a more or less strirup-shaped iron 
fitted at right angles. The next thing to be considered is the 
net. When the net is spread out in the manner it would be 
when working, the upper part or back has its straight front 
edge fastened to the beam, but the corresponding lower part 
or belly is cut away in such a manner that the front margin 
forms a deep curve extending from the shoe of one trawl- 
head to the other, the centre of the curve, or bosom as it is 
called, being at a considerable distance behind the beam. 
This lower edge of the mouth of the trawl is fastened to and 
protected by the ‘ground-rope,’ which is made of an old 
hawser ‘rounded’ or covered with small rope to keep it from 
chafing and to make it heavier. The ends of the ground- 
rope are fastened at each side by a few turns round the back 
of the trawl-heads, just above the shoe, and the rope itself 
rests on the ground throughout its entire curve. The fish 
which may be disturbed by it, have, therefore, no chance of 
escape at either the sides or back of the net, and as the outlet 
