THE COD-FISHERY 



system than the French trawl, going out daily from the 

 shore to tow the laden tackle home and to set fresh lines. 

 Many of the Canadian mainland fishers do the same ; 

 and their inshore catches are so large (although the cod 

 are comparatively poor) that they manage to keep the 

 whole of the West Indian market supplied. 



As soon as the hooks are cleared, the lines have to be 

 rebaited and sunk again. The favourite bait on the New- 

 foundland ground is what the Frenchmen call a capelin a 

 kind of haddock or pigmy cod. As river anglers are well 

 aware, fixing "live-bait" is not a task to be approached 

 lightly or carelessly ; yet the speed with which the cod-men 

 bait hook after hook is simply incredible. When the task 

 is finished the main line of the trawl has a most weird 

 appearance ; fancy a cord, nearly a quarter of a mile in 

 length, from which, at intervals of about five feet, hang 

 short ends of line, each terminating in a fish rather smaller 

 than a herring. 



With very great care the trawl is sunk again, the 

 weight of the two little anchors being sufficient to carry 

 it to the bottom ; the buoy-lines are made fast to the kegs 

 again. If we were able to see through the water to the 

 bottom, we could now make out an immense four-sided 

 linear figure, perpendicular to the plane of the sea ; every- 

 thing has been made ready once more for a new catch. If 

 the boats are very heavily burdened they will now row 

 back to their schooner or yawl to be hauled up and emptied 

 before proceeding to clear the next trawl. The lines just 

 set will be left for at least twelve hours, sometimes even 

 twenty-four, before they are pulled up again. 



106 



