THE SPANISH MACKEREL FISHEET. 549 



The hearts and bowls are placed in water 15 to 18 feet. From these the leader extends to 

 within a few yards of the shore. It varies greatly in length, according to the slope of the bottom, 

 the average being about 150 fathoms. The netting is of ordinary material, with a 3-inch stretch- 

 mesh. The hearts are made of stouter twine, having a mesh of 2 inches. The opening to the 

 "Big Heart" is 25 feet across, while that to the " Fore Bay" is only 8 feet. The pound or bowl is 

 a rectangular inclosure 45 by 60 feet. The netting of which it is composed is of heavier material 

 than that used for either the leader or the hearts, the mesh being an inch from knot to knot. The 

 pocket is simply a bag of netting, 15 to 30 feet square and 6 to 8 feet deep, in which the fish are 

 placed when, for any reason, it is found desirable to keep them alive for some time before marketing 

 them. In many localities where the bottom is level or slopes very gradually two, three, or even 

 four pounds are placed in a line, one outside of the other, in order to intercept any fish that may 

 be swimming beyond the reach of the first one. The fish, striking the leader in their migrations 

 along the shore, at once attempt to swim around it by going into deeper water, and are naturally 

 lead through the hearts into the pound, their habit of moving in curves rather than by angular 

 turns making their escape quite difficult. If, however, the pound becomes well filled with fish 

 and they are allowed to remain in it for a considerable time some of them succeed in finding the 

 opening A B, and others soon follow them into the inner heart, from which they find less difficulty 

 in escaping. It is known that many fish pass out in this way, for large quantities are sometimes 

 seen in the pound before the hauling time arrives, which, when the net is lifted a few hours later, 

 are found to have made their escape. Another proof that the fish often escape from the nets is 

 found in the fact that nets fished twice a day will stock a third or a half more than those that are 

 visited but once in twenty -four hours. In properly constructed pounds, however, only a small 

 percentage of the fish are successful in reaching the outer waters ; for even though they may pass 

 out of the bowl, they are apt to be led into it again before they succeed in running the gauntlet 

 of both hearts.* 



The pound, as described, costs about $1,000, if we include the second set of netting, which must 

 be used when the first is taken out to be dried and repaired. In the warm waters of this region 

 the netting cannot remain down more than two or three weeks without being seriously injured. 



* The nets are usually fished at slackwater, as at this time they are more easily lifted. As the hour of low water 

 approaches, a boat with a crew of three or four men is rowed out from the shore to the pole P. One man at once unfastens 

 the Hue that holds the bottom of the pound to its base; after which the boat is pulled to the poles G, Q, R, F, K, E, &c., 

 until a circuit of the pound has been made and the lines that hold the bottom of the net in position have been loosened. 

 The top of the net at C is theu lowered into the water and the boat passes over it into the pound, after which the 

 netting is again raised and fastened. The boat then proceeds to the mouth of the pound, and two men, by means of 

 ropes attached to the lead-line at the bottom of the opening A B, raise this portion of the net entirely out of the water, 

 placing the weighted line, which forms the lower side, over the gunwale of the boat, thus effectually cutting off all 

 means of escape. The men then take position in either end of the boat, and gradually raise the net toward the poles 

 P and C, driviug the fish around toward G and D. This work is continued in the same manner until the fish have 

 been driven past Q and I, when the netting is pulled up on the opposite side of the boat and the fish are thus confined 

 in the small basin between it and the outer side of the pound. The weighted line at the bottom of A B is now thrown 

 off, and the boat is gradually pulled towards the outer end, the basin growing constantly smaller until the fish are 

 brought into a limited space at K, when they are at once transferred to the boat by means of dip-nets. When there 

 is a large run of " scrap-fish," or when the catch is large, a signal is given and a flat-boat or scow is sent out from the 

 shore to receive the surplus. It is taken to the point K on the outside of the net, and the worthless fish are thrown 

 into it as fast as the marketable ones are sorted out. Frequently both boats are loaded and the fish are culled after 

 reaching the shore. 



After the fish have been secured the netting is thrown off, and the fishermen proceed to re-set the pound, drawing 

 the bowl into place by means of ropes which extend from the top of the stakes through rings at their base to its 

 lower corners aud sides. The boat first proceeds to the opening A B, and after this has been properly secured it passes 

 out of the pound and visits the different stakes in their order until all the lines have been fastened. The pound is 

 now ready for fishing, and is left to itself until the next slackwater, while the fishermen are icing and boxing their 

 catch. 



