THE BAGE. 167 



The hauling-lines, which, should the strand be shallow, are 

 at times one hundred fathoms or more in length, are either 

 of hemp or of tog that is, the smaller roots of the spruce- 

 pine split into fibres or of bast, which is the bark of cer- 

 tain trees,* prepared in a peculiar manner ; but the latter is 

 preferred as being more manageable and less liable to rot. 



When the hauling-lines are of great length, and to faci- 

 litate their transit from place to place which is of constant 

 occurrence, as the net converges towards the shore the fisher- 

 man is provided with a Edge, or bow (Fig. 2), that is placed 

 at his feet, and on which he coils the line as it is hauled in. 



The drag-net in general use with us, though there were 

 others of much larger dimensions, was some thirty fathoms 

 in length, and from eight to ten feet in depth. Two men 

 could handle such a net with facility. Moving from place to 

 place on the shore, or from islet to islet, I have seen the 

 same individuals make twenty to thirty casts at the least in 

 the course of a long summer day ; and it was no un- 

 common thing for them to half fill their boats. No later, 

 indeed, than the past autumn, I myself saw two boats, with 

 two men each, return home one evening with upwards of 

 one thousand pounds weight of pike, perch, bream, &c., that 

 they had thus captured during the day. But though this 

 was great work, I have known the fishermen to be much 

 more successful. 



* Of the linden-tree in preference ; it is prepared in the following manner : 

 In the month of June, when the bark separates most readily, as long slips as 

 possible are peeled off either from the stem itself, or from large branches. 

 These slips are immersed in water ; and stones, blocks of wood, or other 

 weights placed above to retain them at the bottom. Here they remain for 

 about three weeks, until the outer bark separates from the inner, when the 

 latter may be taken up, dried and prepared. 



