430 



THE COMMON MACKEREL. 



pounds. The fishermen go out to the distance of several leagues from 

 the shore, and stretch their nets, which are sometimes several miles 

 in extent, across the tide, during the night. The meshes of these nets 

 are just large enough to admit the heads of tolerably large fish, and 

 to catch them by the gills. A single boat has been known to bring 

 in, after one night's fishing, a cargo that has been sold or nearly 

 seventy pounds. Besides these, there is, in the west of England, 

 Another mode of fishing for Maokerel with a ground seine. A coil of 



UACKBREL BOATS. 



rope, about two hundred fathoms in length, with the net fastened to 

 one end, is tied, at the other, to a post or rock, on the shore. The 

 boat is then rowed to the extremity of this coil, when a pole, fixed 

 there, and leaded heavily at the bottom, is thrown overboard. The 

 rowers, from this place, make as nearly as possible a semicircle, two 

 men continually and regularly putting the net into the water. When 

 they come to the other end of the net, where there is another leaded 

 pole, they throw that overboard. Another coil of rope, similar to the 

 first, is by degrees thrown into the water, as the boatmen make for 

 the shore. The boat's crew now land, and, with the assistance of 

 persons stationed there, haul in each end of the net till they come to 



