THE TUNNY FISHERY. 130 



ionnare ; the passage throughout is carefully close I 

 by nets, between which only a small opening is left, 

 which we may call the exterior gate of the submarine 

 fortalice. That gate which leads into the first 

 apartment, called the hallef is made on the side of 

 the channel by which the tunny arrives every year. 

 When a troop of these animals has entered into the 

 Jialle, tlie fishers close the exterior gate of the ton- 

 ndra ; they then terrify the tunnies by throwing 

 gravel at them, or by scarecrows made of sheep- 

 skin — or they even pursue them until they are induced 

 to pass through a second gate, into the "ante- 

 chamber ;" this second gate being then closed, the 

 first is opened again to admit a fresh party into the 

 haJle. When a sufiiciently large number of these 

 animals are assembled in the antechamber, similar 

 tricks are resorted to to drive them into the chamber 

 of deathf where the fishermen kill them with lances. 

 Sometimes despair renders them furious; they fling 

 themselves out of the water, and break their necks 

 or bruise their heads against the rocks and boats. 



We have reason to be astonished at the facility 

 with which the tunny is fished, when we recall to 

 mind its great size. It is generally from two to 

 three or more feet long, but occasionally is consider- 

 ably bigger. It is often found of the size of a man, 

 and luis been taken from six-feet-six to eight feet 



