342 HISTOEY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



"The weir is hauled once a day, and always at slack water, because with a strong tide running 

 cast or west it is impossible to handle the bottom lines. The men pull out in two parties, of which 

 one in a large scow passes around the outside of the bowl, casting oft' the bottom lines, while the 

 other in a yawl-boat pushes inside the bowl, pulls up the sliding poles, and closes the entrances. 

 The slackening of the bottom line allows the bowl-net to hang free, and the crew inside begin to 

 haul up the bottom of this net in such a way as to work the fish toward one corner, letting the 

 net as it comes to the surface pass under their boat, which is thus slowly drawn across the bowl 

 toward the corner where the capture is to take place, and where the scow is already waiting 

 outside. 



"The scene now becomes an exciting one. The menhaden in thousands begin to show the 

 upper lobes of their tails above the water; here and there darts a feverish mackerel like a blue 

 and silver flash; great leathery skates, looking like pigs rolled out flat, raise their snouts in slow 

 astonishment; here a shark suddenly works his way through the crowding mob; hundreds of 

 goggle-eyed squid, smothered in the press, feebly ply their force pumps; and there the murderous 

 bluefish, undismayed by imminent death, glares fiercely and snaps his savage jaws to the last. 

 All these, with flat-fish, sea robins, butterfish, and many more, are taken and rolled in a fluttering 

 mass, iridescent with changing colors, and shower their silver scales high in air. It moves even 

 the weirmen, in their oilskin clothes, with a slight excitement as they cull out from the menhaden 

 the choice and the oft'al fishes. There is Uncle Abishai smiting sharks with a spear, like so many 

 Sauls, and he smiteth them not twice ; and Captain Ed'ard endeavoring, with a swift scoop-net, to 

 capture a dodging shad, because Mrs. Asa has boarders and needs a fish dinner; and Captain 

 Charles, with the air of one who gets a toy for a good child, diligently striving after some of them 

 ere striped robins that the professor wanted. All this is strange and entertaining, even to a 

 commissioner, who, by the motion of a long swell and the evil piscatory odor, is somewhat afflicted 

 with what the local satire terms ' white-ears.' 



"And now the menhaden, bushels on bushels, are scooped all quivering into the great scow, 

 for a little outside lies a mackereler who has just let go her anchor with a rattle, and a boat is 

 pulling in with the skipper to buy bait. 'What you got?' cries he, in an indifferent tone, 'Men- 

 haden,' retorts Captain Warren, as if speaking of a new and scarce fish. (A pause.) 'I don't 

 know but I might take a few barrels if they are low,' says the skipper. (No reply.) ' What do you 

 want for 'em?' 'Eighty-five cents,' shouts Captain Warren, and then (sotto voce), 'I don't believe 

 he's got a scale.' At this answer the man of mackerel pushes over the tiller and steers off indig- 

 nantly; but presently pauses, 'Give you sixty -five for seventy barrels.' 'Seventy-five cents is 

 the lowest,' replies Captain Warren. 'Call it seventy cents for seventy five barrels." 'Waal, 

 Waal.' And by this time the scow is full, and the weirmen pull for the vessel, whose numerous 

 crew is ready to hoist the bait on board and salt it down. Ihey stand with knives, barrels, and 

 chopping blocks, and rapidly cut off the heads and tails of the fish, and the thin parts of the sides, 

 then give a gash in the shoulder, and throw them into the barrel for salting. A mackereler will 

 take as many as 120 barrels of such bait, which is minced fine in a hand-mill and thrown over to 

 toll the fish." 



The change in the method of taking mackerel has well-nigh done away with the use of toll-bait 

 so extensively employed in the days of mackerel hooking. 



6. OIL AND GUANO FACTOEIES. 



As stated in a previous paragraph, the chief products of the menhaden are the oil and guano, 

 to be obtained by a process of cooking and pressing. A limited quantity is used for food along 



