140 WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIRDS. 



sinker below had dragged against some obstruction on the 

 bottom, it was the business of the nearest float tender to 

 plunge head and shoulders, if necessary, beneath the water, 

 and carefully remove the obstruction without lifting the 

 sinker chain enough to let any fish that might be enclosed, 

 escape underneath then the seine could move on again. 



The river was broken up into deep holes, to which the 

 fish resort immediately on any disturbance, but above and 

 below these holes, there was usually a shallow " ripple" as 

 it is called and while the seiners commenced to sweep the 

 hole from the lower extremity or shallow, the supernumerary 

 boys or negroes were detailed above to form a line across the 

 ripple there, and by lashing the water and otherwise making 

 a great noise, they would prevent the larger fish from escap* 

 ing to the holes above. 



Thus, as the long seine stretched from bank to bank, the 

 fish were entirely enclosed as it advanced towards the upper 

 end of the hole, and here the side with the smoothest shelv- 

 ing bank having been selected for " landing," the pole-carrier 

 on that side would stand fast with his pole at the edge of the 

 water, and then came the exciting moment, as the pole man 

 at the other extremity commenced rapidly sweeping round 

 with his wing to close upon this one. 



The critical instant has arrived. The boys dash to and fro 

 along the shallow, yelling like wild Indians to frighten the 

 fish back towards the closing crescent, while the excited 

 pole-man upon whose rapid movement most depends now, 

 tugs at the heavy net, with body eagerly bent forward, while 

 the float-tenders tread close upon their charge in apprehen- 

 sion lest some ill starred snag may hang the drag now, of 

 all times, just when lifting it an inch too much over the ob- 

 struction, may lose them the whole results of this haul and 

 unlucky is he indeed, if, at the thrilling moment when the 

 pole-man, having got through the deep water, as he closes 

 towards his pivot-man, now starts into a desperate rush, to 

 close up amidst the excited shouts of all, and finds himself 



