DRIFT-NET FISHING. 59 



The time universally chosen for putting out, or 

 "shooting" the nets, as it is called, is just before 

 sunset ; and the vessel being in what the master has 

 reason to think is a likely place for fish* a point, 

 however, about which there is generally some specula- 

 tion, she is put before the wind, and as she sails 

 slowly along, the net is shot over her quarter, that 

 is, over the side near the stern. Whilst this is 

 going on, the men are distributed at regular stations, 

 some handing up the net from below, others throwing 

 it over and taking care that it falls in the right posi- 

 tion, others, again, looking after the warp and seeing 

 that the " seizings " are made fast to it in their proper 

 places. When all the net is overboard, and fifteen or 

 twenty fathoms of extra warp, termed the " swing-rope," 

 are paid out, the warp is carried from the stern to the 

 bow of the vessel ; she is then brought round head 

 to wind, the ordinary sails are taken in, the mast is 

 lowered till it rests in the crutch of the mitch-board, 

 a small mizen sail, called the " drift-mizen," is set to 

 keep her head to wind, and the regulation lights are 

 put up to show that the vessel is fishing. A certain 

 number of men then remain on deck as the watch, and 

 the vessel and nets drift with the tide. 



It is important that a strain should be kept on the 

 nets so as to extend them ; it will therefore be readily 

 understood why the nets are shot in the direction in which 

 the wind, much or little, is blowing ; for the vessel being 

 to leeward of the nets when they are in the water, and 

 offering of course more resistance to the wind than 

 they do, drifts more rapidly, and consequently pulls 



