THE PILCHARD SEINE. 235 



struggles, as they are dipped up in large baskets and emptied 

 into the first cavity on the beach above the reach of the 

 water. 



The seine being of large dimensions, the capture is by no 

 means confined to Mackerel, but generally includes represen- 

 tatives of every variety found on our coasts, whether flat, 

 round, or shell-fish, as Plaice, Soles, Dabs, Dories, &c., and 

 occasionally a Salmon, or Salmon-Peel, Mullet, Bass, Gar-fish, 

 Squid or Cuttle-fish, and Crabs ; and the spectacle usually 

 attracts a large crowd of both residents and visitors, should the 

 net be hauled in front or close to any of the many watering- 

 places on the SW. coast of England. 



The Pilchard Seine, This is the largest and most expen- 

 sive description of seine used on the shores of the kingdom, 

 and with its three boats the seine-boat, the volyer, and the 

 lurker and all apparatus complete, involves the outlay of a 

 considerable sum of money, from eight to nine hundred 

 pounds ; consequently they are owned by companies. 



A ' huer ' or look-out man is required to signal the fisher- 

 man from the cliffs when the fish show themselves, and to 

 direct the master-seiner's attention to the course and move- 

 ments of the fish. The manner of enclosing the fish &c. is 

 very similar to that practised in the Mackerel fishery ; but the 

 fish being enclosed, the ends of the net are connected, and 

 being moored by large grapnels, locally termed 'greeps,' the 

 Pilchards are taken in a smaller net called a tuck-seine, used 

 from the volyer, which proceeds over the cork-line within the 

 enclosure for that purpose. 



The seine-boat and volyer are rigged with large main and 

 small fore- lug sails, and are capable of carrying about fifteen 

 tons dead weight ; the lurker is a spritsail boat of moderate 

 size, that it may carry out the orders of the commander-in- 

 chief, the master-seiner, who commands in person. 



The same excitement is evinced in the Pilchard as in the 

 Mackerel fishery, but the interests involved are infinitely 

 greater and the feeling proportionate ; for if the ' Pilchard 

 harvest ' fails, a trying winter is the almost certain lot of the 

 Cornish fishermen : should the season turn out well, he will be 



