222 THE GRAINS. REMARKS ON NETS. 



sists of five harpoons in one, which may be either used in a 

 line with each other or may be unscrewed and arranged four- 

 square, which is frequently preferred ; it is attached to a stiff 

 light ashen staff, with a ball of lead at the top, which gives force 

 to the blow and turns the fish up when struck. The fish is 

 hauled on board by a small but strong line bent on to the 

 grains, one or two hands being ready, watching the actions of 

 the striker. 



The Bonita and Albicore are the chief fish taken by this 

 method, although others are occasionally met with. 



If a log of timber is found floating at sea and covered with 

 barnacles, it is often surrounded with fish attracted by the 

 various small Crabs &c. which also make it their habitation ; 

 if the weather be calm, a quantity of fish may be ' grained ' by 

 the aid of a boat. 



The Triangle Net. On such occasions quantities of fish 

 may be taken by a bag net on a frame of three iron bars, 1 2 to 

 15 ft. long, lashed together in the form of a triangle, supported 

 at two of the angles by small casks. This net is worked by a 

 rope attached to a triple bridle, a part bent on to each angle of 

 the frame, which, in a perpendicular position, is to be hauled 

 under any floating piece of timber. A boat-load has often been 

 caught at one haul. 



PORPOISES. 



These are occasionally harpooned under the bows of sailing 

 vessels. 



REMARKS ON NETS. 



There are several varieties of nets used in sea-fishing, of 

 which the chief are Trammels, Seine, Trawl, and Drift-nets, the 

 construction and working of which are so very different that a 

 particular description of each must be given in order to afford 

 anything like a true conception of the subject. 



The Trammel. The appellation of this net is doubtless of 

 French origin, for c trammel' is evidently l trots maillesj or 

 three meshes, which exactly describes the net. ( Vide ' Life in 

 Normandy,' vol. i. p. 163.) It consists of a loose net of small 



