168 FISHING AS PRACTISED IN 



a very powerful light. The weapons for captur- 

 ing lobsters, termed spears, resemble the props of 

 a clothes line, only somewhat more artistically 

 shaped ; they are from six to seven feet in length, 

 and nearly an inch in diameter ; at one extremity 

 they are split down nearly six inches, the prongs 

 thus formed are kept asunder by a small wedge. 

 The boat is tilted on one side, so as to bring 

 the gun-whale quite close to the water's edge, 

 and a blazing fire lighted on the grating, makes 

 the smallest objects visible beneath the wave; 

 myriads of lobsters are thus discovered crawling 

 in every direction. Their being disturbed by the 

 sudden glare, causes a great deal of confusion 

 amongst them. The prongs of the weapon are 

 quietly inserted in the water, and gradually lowered 

 until within a few inches of the lobster; the fisher- 

 man darts his spear on the shoulders, wedging 

 him between the prongs, and brings him out. In 

 a short time, not more than one hour, the boat 

 was filled. New Sporting Mag. June, 1834. 



Indians Fishing in North America. They 

 catch fish with nets, hooks, and harping irons. 

 They take also a fork of wood, with two grains or 

 points, and set a gin to it, almost in the same 

 way as they catch partridges in France ; they put 

 it into the water, and when the fish (which are in 

 greater plenty than here) goto pass through, and 

 find they are entered in a gin, they snap together 



