564 GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OP THE FISHERIES. 



$5,500. It is only within five years that the trade has approached even this amount. Now it is 

 improving, and new markets, such as Eastern Florida towns (by steamer and rail), arc opening. 



203. FISHERIES OF SAINT ANDREW'S BAY. 



HISTOKY AND EARLY CONDITION OF THE FISHERIES. The fisheries of Washington County 

 are twofold in their history. Both past and present, however, were, and are carried on in the 

 waters of Saint Andrew's Bay, the capital for the prosecution of the same being furnished by par- 

 ties living in or near the city of the same name. The past fisheries, dating from the year 1850 to 

 the year 1863, which was the year of the bombardment of Saint Andrew's city, will be treated of 

 first. 



Between 1850 and 18GO Saint Andrew's was a lively, active place, containing at least 1 ,200 or 

 1,500 people. There were saw-mills in operation and shipping was carried on to an important 

 extent. The city in summer was visited by many people from Alabama and Georgia, who, of 

 course, circulated money in the place. There, as in nearly every seaport town, fish formed the 

 chief article of diet. As the place became more thrifty and continued to grow in size, the demand 

 for fish increased in proportion. At this early stage of -its history a large quantity of salt fish was 

 sold to the planters living in the interior of Alabama and Georgia, and this trade was of no little 

 importance to the fishermen. The fishing then, as now, was done entirely with the drag-seines, 

 which were from 50 to 75 fathoms in length, and from 6 to 12 feet deep, having a bag in the middle, 

 at which point the seine attained its greatest depth. This net is described above on p. 550. In 

 setting these seines sharp and flat-bottomed boats were used. Four or five men handled one seine, 

 which was attended to from a single boat. The captain stood in the bow, guiding the boat by 

 means of a pole and watching for signs of the approach of fish. These boats were often rowed 

 along the bay shore, over the best fishing grounds at a venture, dragging the seine over a spot 

 known as a good fishing ground without any fish having been seen. This was called a "blind" 

 haul. In winter two or three barrels were considered a fair day's catch; in spring, about twice 

 that amount, and in fall as many as the boat could carry in one or two journeys perhaps 25 or 30 

 barrels. 



The greater part of these fish were salted ; for this purpose such fish as Spanish mackerel, 

 jurel, pompano, trout, redfish, sheepshead, bluefish, and mullet were selected. The majority of 

 other varieties were given away or fed to the hogs. For convenience in salting, small sheds were 

 built. These were 15 or 20 feet square and were provided with benches on which to clean the 

 fish; they also contained salt- bins and troughs in which to mix the pickle or soak the fish. The 

 manner of dressing the fish was as follows : Two persons at the head of the bench cut off the 

 heads and shoved the fish along to another pair who split them down the back and then passed 

 the fish to others who removed the entrails, blood, &c. In this operation men, women, and boys 

 helped. The fish were then ready for salting. The head fisherman usually performed this opera- 

 tion, for the amount of salt used depended largely upon his skill and care. When dry salted, the 

 fish were allowed to remain for two or three days in that condition, after which they were taken 

 out and packed away nicely in barrels and half barrels with plenty of pickle. Each barrel would 

 hold certainly 200 pounds, and the fish were guaranteed to remain sweet and good for at least one 

 year. The barrels were, and are now, made and provided by a cooper who lives near the bay 

 and combines this work with that of farming. 



The principal market for these tish was in the interior. Some of the fishermen preferred to 

 carry the fish to market themselves, but the majority sold them at their own doors. Those who 

 chose the former plan would start np the country with their barrels of fish loaded on an ox-cart 



