238 HISTORY AM) METHODS OP THE FISHERIES. 



The skipper now gives the order to one of the dories that was first put out, "Throw out your 

 buoy." This being done the dory tows astern of the vessel until the buoy-line runs entirely out; 

 the men in the dory then sing out, "Let go the painter!" The dory is cast off and they begin to 

 set their trawl in the ordinary manner, their course usually being to leeward, and nearly at right 

 angles with the direction of the vessel. This operation is repeated in succession with each boat: 

 the last dories dropping astern after the others have been let go. Sometimes when the wind is 

 moderate and it is practicable, all six dories are dropped down before the first begins to set. The 

 boats having been let go in the manner described, are thus left scattered along in the wake of the 

 schooner at intervals of 100 to 200 fathoms, the first and the last dory being from three quarters 

 of a mile to a mile and a half apart. As soon as the last dory has been dropped, the vessel keeps 

 oif and runs to leeward, and is ready to pick up the first one as soon as her trawl has been set, and 

 the others in regular succession. The time occupied in setting the trawls under sail varies from 

 half an hour to an hour. 



When the dories are picked up, a part or all of them are taken on deck and the vessel imme- 

 diately begins to work back toward the weather buoys; as soon as the weather buoys are reached 

 the boats are usually dropped again in the manner a^eady described, and the men begin hauling. 

 This second evolution occupies from one hour to an hour and a half, according to the strength of 

 the wind and other circumstances. As the dories are dropped a second time they find themselves 

 at the very place where they threw overboard the first anchor and a mile or two to the windward of 

 the place where they dropped their last anchor. They are now able to haul to the leeward, which 

 is easier than hauling to the windward and is more advantageous to the fishing, since the tender- 

 mouthed haddock are less liable to drop from the hooks of a trawl when it is slack than when it 

 is taut. 



For the dories to haul their trawls occupies from one to four hours, according to the length of 

 the trawl, the number of fish on the hooks, and the state of the weather. While the dories are 

 hauling, the vessel is lying-to with the jib to windward and drifting back and forth along the line 

 of boats, waiting for the men to finish hauling their trawls or signalize, by raising one of the oars, 

 that they have a load of fish and wish to be taken on board. After the lines have all been hauled 

 the dories are again taken on deck, unless another set is to be made on the same ground. When 

 the dories set the whole length of lines it is very unusual for a vessel to make more than one set 

 in a day ; sometimes, however, a smaller number of lines is set and the operation is twice per- 

 formed. In exceptional instances, after the whole string of tubs has been once set, a smaller 

 number, perhaps a tub to each man, is set in the latter part of the day. 



The operation of shooting alongside of the dories and picking them up is one of the most diffi- 

 cult feats of seamanship which can be accomplished by a fishing schooner. 



The haddock trawls are often set in rough weather and at times when there is what would be 

 called a strong, whole sail breeze, and, occasionally, when it blows hard enough to make it neces- 

 sary to reef the sails. After the trawls have been set and the vessel worked back to the weather- 

 buoys, if the weather looks at all threatening, it is customary to take the bonnet out of the jib and 

 put a reef in the mainsail, so that if the wind should increase while the trawls are being hauled 

 the vessel can be managed by the skipper and the cook the only men left on board. 



As might be expected, men are sometimes lost in this method of fishing, the losses being occa- 

 sioned by sudden snow-storms which cut the dories off from the view of those on board of the 

 vessel, or by heavy squalls which render it impossible for the schooner wit h only two men on board 

 to go through the necessary evolutions. 



It should be stated'that the evolution of setting under sail is varied at different times and by 



