428 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHEEIES. 



heart. Often enough men who have obtained boats and nets on credit and hired persons to assist them during tho 

 fishery are so unfortunate as not to catch enough of herrings to pay their expenses the curors for whom they 

 engaged to fish having retained most of the bounty money on account of boats and nets; consequently the hired 

 servants have frequently to go home, sometimes to a great distance, penniless. It would be much better if the old 

 system of a share were reiutroduced. In that case the hired men would at least participate to the extent of the 

 fishing, whether it were good or bad. Boat-owners try of course to get as good terms as possible, as well in the shape 

 of price for herrings as in bounty and perquisites. My idea is that there ought to be no engagements, no bounty, and 

 no perquisites. As eacli fishing comes round let the boats catch and the curers buy day by day as the fish arrive at 

 the quay. This plan has already been adopted at some fishing towns, and is an obvious improvement on the prevailing 

 plan of gambling by means of "engagements" in advance.* 



AMERICAN METHODS. In New England the relation of vessel owners and dealers to the 

 fishermen is very different from that already described. The vessels are usually owned by the 

 captain, who selects his crew from among his friends on account of their supposed fitness for aud 

 experience in the fishery. The owner furnishes the vessel in a condition ready for sea, and receives 

 in return from one-fifth to one-seventh of the first value of the catch. The crew, on the other hand, 

 provide all the apparatus for the fishery, including boats, nets, and other fishing-gear. They are 

 also expected to provide themselves with provisions, and to arrange with one of their number to 

 act as cook. The cook is, in most cases, the son of the captain, or of some member of the crew, 

 whose services are obtained for a small compensation. He is expected to remain constantly on 

 board to care for the vessel while the men are tending their nets, and, in addition to preparing 

 the food, must assist in salting and packing the fish. 



The vessel is generally taken to one of the larger ports in the vicinity of the fishing-grounds, 

 where an arrangement is made with a fish-dealer to supply barrels and salt for packing and curing 

 the catch. The dealer usually supplies the provisions necessary for food, and in some instances 

 furnishes a portion of the fishing-gear, it being understood that he shall receive the fish at a stated 

 price. The fishermen seldom pay for the outfit when it is received, but on the contrary run an 

 account with the dealer, who depends largely upon their catch for his money ; and it often hap- 

 pens, when the fisheries are poor, that he loses heavily. There is a disposition among certain crews 

 to avoid the payment of their obligations, and it frequently occurs that, unless carefully watched, 

 they will carry the greater part of their catch to other places for a market, selling for cash and 

 pocketing the money. The dealers have lost so heavily in this way that they are now very can- 

 tious as to whom they will trust, and the skippers who for any reason are not considered responsi 

 ble, experience considerable difficulty in finding a dealer who is willing to advance them the neces- 

 sary outfit. Many of them are thus placed at a disadvantage, as they seldom have sufficient funds 

 to pay for their goods until they have disposed of their catch. 



After the catch has been marketed the vessel's portion of the money is set aside. All bills, 

 including the cook's wages and the cost of salt, barrels, provisions, &c., are then paid out of the 

 general stock, after which the money is divided equally among the different members of the crew, 

 the captain sharing equally with the others. The amount of money realized by the men engaged 

 in the herring fisheries varies exceedingly ; some vessels are very successful and secure large trips, 

 while others may fish the entire season with only moderate success. The average share to the 

 fishermen would be, perhaps, $30 to $50 per month. 



4. METHODS OF CAPTURE. 



TORCHING. There are three principal methods of catching the herring on the coast of the 

 United States. The oldest, and in early years the most common method, was that known as 

 "torching." Later, brush weirs were introduced, and these are now extensively employed in 



Harvest of the Sea, pp. 183-185. 



