THE SKA-BASSE, StC. 215 



is taken, and cotillion parties are made up on the upper deck. 

 A skilful harpooner sometimes makes one of the party, and 

 gives excitement to the scene by striking and taking a por- 

 poise. The boat touches at Coney Island, giving the passen- 

 gers an opportunity of a sea bathe and a clam bake; and also 

 at Fort Hamilton, allowing an opportunity to view the fortifi- 

 cations of the harbor. 



In addition to this mode, schooners and sloops are char- 

 tered by private pleasure parties, who spend two or three 

 days on an excursion down the bay and sound, affording op- 

 portunity for ocean and inland fishing, and often return with 

 an assortment of the finny tribe, consisting of perch, trout, 

 rock, tautog, blue-fish, flounders, cod-fish, sea-basse, and por- 

 gees, enough to stock a small-sized fish market. 



The proprietors of the steamboats endeavor to accommo- 

 date the passengers with bait and tackle, and sometimes suc- 

 ceed; but to insure success and satisfaction, the seeker 

 of this description of sport should procure his own. The line 

 should be of stout flax or hemp, from ten to twenty fathoms 

 ill length, (generally for sale, ready furnished, at the fishing 

 tackle stores,) with two or three hooks attached, about a foot 

 apart : those for porgees should be the round bent black- 

 fish No. 3, described on plate 2. For sea-basse, the hook 

 should be a stout Kirby No. I. The assortment should al- 

 ways consist of both kinds, and plenty of them, as they are 

 sometimes taken off by shark and blue-fish, or are broken 

 against the side of the boat in hauling up. The sinker should 

 be of common lead, and weigh from one-half to one pound 

 (the latter size, if only one is taken, is the best.) Clam bait 

 is the only kind used, and necessary : these can be purchased 

 at the markets, ready opened. To render them tough and 

 tiard, add a little salt, which will make them cling to the 

 hook much better. When luck favors these excursions, two, 

 three, and even four fish are taken at a haul. It is necessary 



