THE BANK TRAWL LINE COD FISHERY. 161 



are alternately fastened by snoods of 3 feet long, 6 feet apart, and the whole neatly coiled in half- 

 bushel baskets clear for running out. Half the number of baskets are then placed in a large, strong- 

 built lug-sail boat on each side, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon ; both make sail together at right 

 angles from the vessel, and when the lines are all run out straight, sink them to within 5 feet of the 

 bottom. 



[This is probably a mistake of the writer, since the ground lines of the trawls were undoubtedly, 

 as now, sunk to the bottom.] 



" The crew having rested all night, they proceed again the next morning at daybreak to trip 

 the sinker, and while hauling in lines, unhooking fishjj&c., the men left on board heave in the other 

 end with a winch. When in that manner 400 codfish are caught in a night, some are then employed 

 in line-clearing, fish-beheading, splitting, salting, and stowing them away in layers across each other 

 below; livers and refuse boiled to oil put in large casks on deck. Three months seems to be the 

 average time employed, arriving early in June aud departing again in October. 



" As British fishermen are said to be continually holding lines in a perpendicular position over 

 the side in all sorts of weather, for the same purpose, owners of vessels, we conceive, should give 

 the above method some consideration." 



8. REPORT ON A COD-TRAWLING TRIP TO GRAND BANK IN 1879. 



BY HENKY L. OSBORN. 

 a. ITINERARY OF THE CRUISE. 



A BRIEF ITINERARY OF THE SUMMER TRIP. We ran out of Gloucester harbor with a light 

 northerly breeze at 3 o'clock on Saturday afternoon, July 12, 1879. As we rounded Eastern Point 

 the wind died out and we lay in a flat calm until late at night. The following day, Sunday, was 

 clear and pleasant. Land had sunken out of sight aud we were moving very slowly east half 

 south. Had it not been the Sabbath the men would have begun at once to rig their trawls, but, 

 partly from respect to the day and partly using it as an excuse for not working, they did no 

 manner of work. Early on Monday morning they all turned out, and after breakfast began work 

 on their gear, continuing it steadily all day and all the day following. By Wednesday they had, 

 for the most part, finished this work. 



On Tuesday night we saw a light on shore and decided that it was Sambro Light, off Halifax. 

 On Thursday morning, when I came on deck at half past four, we had rounded Cape Canso aud 

 were standing toward Arichat. It was blowing strong and the air was full of mist, moreover it 

 was very cold although it was the middle of summer, aud I found heavy clothing and an "oil-skin" 

 suit very comfortable. The treeless and barren hills seemed very inhospitable, and the few houses 

 nestled under them here and there did not seem very cheerful to one who had but just come from 

 the warm weather of New Jersey. A few miles off Arichat we put over a dory, and three or four 

 men jumped into her and pulled ashore to visit their homes in the vicinity, for a day or two. With 

 the rest of the crew we stood off for Guysborough, and, at about nine in the morning, dropped 

 anchor off the village. 



We staid at Guysborough until the 20th, thus giving the remainder of the crew, except two 

 Massachusetts fellows, a chance to visit their homes. On 'that evening we dropped anchor off 

 Arichat. In the morning of the next day we picked up the rest of the crew, took ice for our bait, 

 and, at about 2 or 3 o'clock p. in., made sail for Cape Broyle, Newfoundland. The wind was fair 

 and strong and we flew over the water at the rate of 10 or 11 knots per hour. When I went 

 below for the night the land was no longer in sight and we were tearing through the water. All 

 day Tuesday we had the same strong and fair breeze aud sailing became really enjoyable. On 

 SEC v 11 



