GULP OF MEXICO: WESTERN FLORIDA. 545 



reason of the difficulty encountered in procuring all the help necessary in case of an exceedingly 

 large catch, thousands of fish are often wasted, one-fifth, perhaps, containing spawn. Before 

 going to sleep, 50 barrels, however, are often cleaned and packed away after the boats have 

 returned from the day's fishing. The first fish, thus carefully put up, arc in a first-class condition 

 for any market. It is only in the warmest weather of August and September that the mullet are 

 known to rust or turn red. 



A peculiar feature in the Cuban markets is that the people prefer to buy fish with their heads 

 on. At the fisheries where the fish are treated in this way no barreling or brine-salting is done. 



ROBERTS'S FISHERY. Roberts's fishery is situated on Sarasota Bay, at Big Sarasota Pass. It 

 is managed by Mr. Roberts, of Key West, who supplies the Cuban markets. At Roberts's fishery 

 about half the twenty-two fishermen are Conchs, the others come from Key West, and are mostly 

 of American birth. As at Hunter's Point, the men on the carrying-vessels are regarded as forming 

 part of the fishing gang. 



The two seines in use at Roberts's fishery are respectively 110 and 75 fathoms in length and 16 

 and 10 feet in depth, with meshes respectively of 2 and 1J inches. The former requires eight men; 

 the latter, four. Several hauls with the seine have proved larger than twenty-two men could split, 

 in consequence of which large numbers were spoiled. One haul contained at least 20,000 fish. 



The boats used here are similar to those in use at Hunter's Point. 



The bait-net is also preferred here to the bag-net, as at Hunter's Point. 



The fishing is a success, although the buildings, &c., may not be quite so conveniently 

 arranged as at Hunter's Point. There are three houses built of poles, with palmetto-leaf thatching. 

 In one of these buildings the fish are cleaned and stored. The second is used as a kitchen and 

 the third for sleeping-quarters. The apparatus is practically similar to that at Hunter's Point. 



SARASOTA FISHERY. In the vicinity of the last-mentioned fishery is Sarasota fishery. This 

 is managed by six men, Americans, all of whom are equally interested. Their fish are sold only 

 in the home markets. 



At this point there is only one seine in use. This is 75 fathoms long and 15 feet deep, with 

 l^-iuch mesh. The boats used are of a smaller type than those already alluded to. 



Here, as at the other smaller fisheries, 30 per cent, of the proceeds is given to the fishery, and 

 the other 70 per cent., after paying for salt, provisions, &c., is divided equally among the men. 



The price of fish in the home markets is 3 or 4 cents apiece, or $6 a barrel. Mullet roes sell 

 for 25 cents a dozen. 



FISHERIES OF PALMASOLA BAY. 



FISHING STATIONS OF PALMASOLA BAY. TYLER FISHERY. The first fishery in Palmasola 

 Bay, as one travels north, is called the Tyler fishery and is the smaller of the two situated on this 

 bay. Here three men. Sharpe, Tyler, and IJoane, fish entirely with cast-nets ; their catches are 

 small and their requirements correspondingly few. They fish for several months and catch quite 

 sufficient for their own use and have a few barrels to sell. Throughout this bay there is a great 

 deal of cast-net fishing; few, however, prove more remunerative than to supply the fishermen 

 with food. 



PICKLE-CURING OF MULLET. At this place and Bishop's fishery, next in succession, a 



peculiar mode of preserving fish is practiced. The fish are split as for kench-curing, and after 



being washed are packed away in large barrels, dry-salted. In a few days they have made their 



own brine, and with some of it are finally packed away in barrels made of cypress wood and so 



35 G R F 



