THE STOW -NET. 297 



the net is used is very simple. The boat or vessel small 

 smacks which at certain seasons in the year are engaged in 

 oyster-dredging are commonly employed in winter in what 

 is called " stow-boating " takes up a position at the 

 beginning of the tide where there are signs of fish, or in 

 localities where the experience of previous years teaches 

 the fishermen to look out for the shoals. She then 

 anchors, and at the same time the net is put overboard, 

 and takes its proper position at a certain depth immediately 

 under the vessel. In order that this may be effectively 

 managed, a rope is made fast by one end to the anchor of 

 the fishing boat before it is dropped; the other end is 

 fastened to four ropes leading each to one corner of the 

 square mouth of the net, thus forming what is called a 

 double bridle ; and to facilitate the mouth of the net being 

 kept open when set in the water, two wooden spars or 

 " balks " are fastened to the mouth of the net, one on the 

 upper side of the square and the other at the foot. More 

 than this, however, is necessary to keep the mouth pro- 

 perly open, and this essential part of the arrangement is 

 provided for by having a rope from each end of the upper 

 balk to the corresponding side of the vessel, and by 

 weighting the lower balk in order to sink it. When, 

 therefore, the vessel has taken up her position for fishing, 

 both vessel and net are moored by the same anchor, and 

 the depth at which it is thought best for the net to remain 

 is regulated by the ropes from the ends of the upper balk 

 leading to each side of the vessel. The strain on this 

 enormous bag-net by the force of the tide is often very 

 great ; but the net, being held by the same anchor as holds 

 the vessel, both keep in the same relative position, even if 

 the combined strain on both should cause the anchor to 

 drag. In this position then, the vessel and net remain till 



