THE SEAN. 21 



tide ; sail is hardly ever set, except in exceedingly 

 calm weather, to prevent the nets being folded 

 together. In the herring fishery a system is fol- 

 lowed of using fewer and smaller corks along the 

 head-rope, and by placing at proper distances 

 cords, to each of which is fastened a strong buoy. 

 These cords are two or two and a half fathoms 

 long, and allow the upper edge to be that depth 

 under the surface, but even now it is observed 

 that the greatest number of fish are taken at the 

 bottom of the net. Another advantage is that 

 vessels pass over the nets when buoyed as above 

 stated. 



THE SEAN. 



The sean is a large net about 250 or 300 

 fathoms in length and twelve fathoms in depth, 

 the whole buoyed along the head-rope with corks 

 and weighted at the bottom with leads ; the ends 

 are kept spread open by poles, the lower ends of 

 which are weighted with lead, so as to keep the 



