PILCHARD. 89 



in which they are proceeding, in a great measure depends 

 the success of the adventure. It is his duty to place himself 

 in some commanding situation, and by well-known motions to 

 direct the proceedings of the men afloat; and in the west of 

 Cornwall, especially on the north, the fishery could not be 

 conducted without him. 



While the fishery lasts the master has the entire command 

 of the adventure; and beginning usually about the 1st. of 

 August, the boats proceed to some well-known sandy bay, 

 and cast anchor, keeping a good look-out for the appearance 

 of the school. This is expected to appear at the decline of 

 the day, and is discovered either by the rippling of the 

 surface, the leaping above it or stoiting of the fish, or by the 

 colour of the water; which latter, where the sandy bottom is 

 bright, becomes well marked. The master first proceeds in 

 the lurker to the place where these appearances shew them- 

 selves, in order that he be certain of the magnitude of the 

 school, with the direction it is taking, coupled with the state 

 of the tide, and the freedom of the bottom from rocks. 



The fish are alarmed at noise; and the firing of a heavy 

 gun at the distance of twenty miles has been known to cause 

 the fish to sink, and thus disappoint the labour of the 

 fishermen. All the proceedings are therefore directed by 

 signs, and when the circumstances are thus known to be 

 favourable, a warp from the end of the stop sean is handed 

 to the crew of the volger, whose duty it is to keep it taut, 

 while the lurker preserves its station near the fish, to observe 

 their motions, and point out to the sean boat the space to be 

 enclosed. The sean boat at this important period is rowed 

 by four men only, the other three being employed in throwing 

 out or shooting the net; and so active is the strength exerted 

 on this occasion, that this large quantity of net, rope, cork, 

 and lead is thrown into the sea in less than five minutes. 

 The sean thus thrown overboard at first forms a curved line 

 across the course of the school; and while the larger boats 

 are engaged in warping the ends together, to enclose the fish 

 as in a pond, the lurker takes its station at the opening in 

 order that by dashing the water with the oars the fish may 

 be kept back from the only place where their escape is at 

 this time possible. AVhen the ends of the scan are thus 



VOL. IV. N 



