138 WILD SPORTS OF THE WEST. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



IT was evident that the bay was full of mackerel. 

 In every direction, and as far as the eye could range, 

 gulls and puffins were collected, and, to judge by their 

 activity and clamour, there appeared ample employment 

 for them among the fry beneath. We immediately 

 bore away for the place where these birds were most 

 numerously congregated, and the lines were scarcely 

 overboard when we found ourselves in the centre of 

 a shoal of mackerel. 



The hooker, however, had too much way. We lowered 

 the foresail, double-reefed the mainsail, and then went 

 steadily to work. Directed by the movements of the 

 birds, we followed the mackerel, tacking or wearing the 

 boat occasionally, when we found that we had overrun 

 the shoal. For two hours we killed those beautiful 

 fish as fast as the baits could be renewed and the lines 

 hauled in ; and when we left off fishing, actually wearied 

 with sport, we found that we had taken above five 

 hundred, including a number of the coarser species, 

 known on this coast by the name of Horse Mackerel. 



There is not, on sea or river, always excepting angling 

 for salmon, any sport comparable to this delightful 

 amusement. Spillet and long-line fishing are generally 

 tedious and uninteresting ; and, unless the fish take 

 freely, it is even with moderate success a tame and 

 spiritless employment. How different is mackerel 

 fishing ! full of life and bustle, everything about it 

 is animated and exhilarating ; a brisk breeze, a fair 

 sky, the boat in quick and constant motion, all is 



