METHODS OF DEEP-SEA FISHERIES 297 



If the fish are schooling in a circle, " cart-wheeling, " the 

 set may be made from any position, but it is always made 

 around the fish in the direction of the movement of the 

 hands of a watch when held face upwards. 



At the right moment the seine-heaver receives word 

 to cast the twine, the rowers bend to their task for all they 

 are worth, and within a few minutes the circuit has been 

 made about the fish, in many cases without the fish be- 

 coming aware that anything unusual is occurring. When 

 the seine boat nears the first end of the seine that was 

 cast off it is met by the dory, the free end of the purse 

 line is passed aboard the larger boat by the dory's crew, 

 and the crew of the seine boat, by pulling in on the purse 

 line, draw together that part of the seine which is lowest 

 in the water, thus closing it below the fish much as an 

 inverted bag would be drawn together by pulling on a 

 puckering string. The crew work rapidly until the seine 

 is " pursed up," after which they can work more leisurely 

 in hauling the surplus seine into the large boat. 



If fish have been caught the seine is gathered in until 

 enough only is left to serve as a commodious bag to keep 

 the fish well in hand until the vessel comes along side. 

 Then the process of bailing the mackerel aboard the ves- 

 sel takes place. This is accomplished by means of large 

 dip nets guided by one of the crew and hoisted aboard 

 by means of tackle blocks. Two of the crew dump the 

 net as it comes over the rail, the fish are emptied 

 out on deck, and the net is thrust back into the water 

 for another load. About a barrel of mackerel are hoisted 

 aboard at a time. 



When all the fish have been taken out the process of 

 dressing the fish begins. If the mackerel are to be car- 

 ried to market fresh the process is simple, and the labor 

 is comparatively light ; part of the crew chisel ice, another 

 part hoist it on deck and get barrels in readiness for 



