THE MACKEREL PURSE-SEINE FISHERY. 257 



of the boat next to the seine are two rows of men facing each other, and pulling ; one row on the 

 end of the first line that passes over the blocks in the purse- davit nearest them, the other on the 

 other end of the purse-line passing over the other block of the davit. Each end of the purse-line 

 passes around another block, which changes the direction of the line, and two rows of men on the 

 side of the boat away from the seine stand back to back, pulling on the purse-Hue, its direction 

 having been changed by the pulleys. 



As previously remarked, the seine before being pursed up is in the shape of a hollow cylinder. 

 A strong tide may make it take the form of a hollow frustum with a slit in its side. Its longer area 

 is at the bottom. In such a case the slit is wider at the bottom and grows narrower toward the top, 

 until it vanishes at a point where the two ends of the purse-line bring the seine together at the 

 purse-davit. Then the purse-weight comes into play. This is "reeved out" to the two end lines, 

 and its weight brings the two ends of the seine together, closing up the slit and destroying the 

 frustum shape of the seine. If this were not done the fish might escape at the side as well as at 

 the bottom.* 



When the seine is pursed up it is in the form of a bag, the bottom of which does not hang 

 freely, for it is bent upward, having been drawn up by the purse-line near the side of the boat, and 

 during the operation of pursing up the boat is pulled nearly into the center of the circle made by 

 the corks on the upper edge of the seine. Occasionally, when there is a current, the boat is brought 

 up agaiust the corks in the bunt of the seine. The object is now to get the fish, if they have any, 

 into such close quarters that they may be taken on deck. To this end the larger part of the seine 

 must be pulled into the seine-boat, and this operation, called "drying up," now begins. The seine 

 is taken up entirely if there be no fish, partly if the school has not escaped, and the net is so drawn 

 up that the "bailing-piece" will inclose the fish at last. The position of this part of the seine being 

 marked by the central cork already spoken of in the description of the seine, it is of course not 

 difficult to bring it around the fish. The experienced fishermen can also quickly tell, either night 

 or day, when the bunt of the seine is reached in the process of drying up, since the difference in 

 the size of the twine of which the bailing-piece is made and that of the other parts of the net is 

 readily detected. 



If any fish have been caught, especially if the school is large, the skipper and three or four 

 men go in the dory to the vessel to help the cook, who is the only man on board, to bring her 

 alongside of the seine-boat. If the school is very large the dory is rowed to the vessel as rapidly 



*It should be stated that the large purse-weight is at present seldom used. The tide is rarely so strong as to 

 make it useful, and even then the process of "reeving " is likely to be so tedious as to make the loss of time more than bal- 

 ance the gain through its use. According to Capt. Joseph Smith the majority of the mackerel seiners now use two 

 purse-weights, each of 75 or 100 pounds weight, instead of the old-fashioned "Long Tom," which usually weighed 150 

 pounds. The two weights above mentioned, being so much lighter than those formerly employed, can be handled by 

 one man, and rove on the purse-line very much quicker than if the heavier, or "double weight," as it is called, was 

 used. These small purse-weights are provided with one block, and each weight has a line attached of sufficient 

 length to reach the bottom of the seine. The time occupied in reeving them on the purse-line rarely exceeds fifteen 

 or twenty seconds. One of the purse-weights is most commonly itscd on the "boat end," or the end of the seine last 

 thrown out, for the reason that this part of the net has not usually time to sink down to its full extent before the 

 pursing begins. A weight is more rarely used on the end of the seine which is first thrown out, and, consequently, 

 has had time to sink to its extreme depth ; though sometimes, on account of the current, or for some other reason, it 

 may be found necessary to put the purse- weight upon this end, as well as upon the other. In using one large weight 

 as formerly, it would be necessary, of course, to always put it on both ends of the purse-line of the seine, but in hav- 

 ing two weights one can be attached and run down on either end of the purse-lino as required. That sinks it and 

 keeps the net deep, and if both ends "purse high" a weight should be put on each end. The ends of the purse-line, 

 when the weights have been run down, in the manner above stated, will stand out from each other, something in the 

 form of the letter A, both parts coming nearly together at the purse-davit and being separated several fathoms at the 

 lower part of the net, as the first purse-rings are attached about 15 fathoms from the ends of the seine. 



SEC V 17 



