On the Movements and Food of the Herring, etc. 393 



which showed a bottom of shell-sand. The surface tem- 

 perature was 50°'o, and the bottom 49°-2. 



Here the herring nets were set for the first time, and before 

 going further, it may be interesting to describe the method 

 in which they were wrought. 



In the first place the ship is brought head to wind, and all 

 the sails are taken in except the jib and mizzen sail or 

 spanker. The helm is lashed close over to one side, so as to 

 keep the ship steady and in position, in this manner the 

 ship is allowed to drift slowly with the wind while the nets 

 are paid out over the quarter. For this purpose the whole 

 of the crew is required ; two hands below in the hold to ease 

 and clear the nets as they are passed on deck, one in the 

 hawser or spring-back locker, four to attend the nets as they 

 are passed over the weather side, one to attach the buoys to 

 the nets and spring-back, two to attend the spring-back, and 

 one to keep the whole clear as they enter the water. Then 

 the end of the spring-back, which is intended to keep the nets 

 in position, is passed up out of the locker, and a large sheep- 

 skin buoy is attached to the end, which is passed out over the 

 bow for a few yards ; the nets are next let out over the weather 

 quarter and brought to the bow of the ship, with a cork buoy 

 attached at intervals of three yards, and sheepskin buoys are 

 attached to the spring-back and nets alternately. In this way 

 they are paid out as fast as the ship is drifting to leeward. 



In hauling the nets on board again the spring-back is 

 attached to the steam-winch, and hauled in over the bow. 

 By so doing all the strain is taken off the nets, which, as the 

 buoys are detached at the bow and passed along the side of 

 the ship, are taken on board in the same manner as they 

 were paid out over the quarter. The herring are then shaken 

 out on deck or into the troughs, and the nets, spring-back, 

 buoys, etc., are stowed away ready for the next cast. After 

 all the nets are taken in the crew at once set to work gutting, 

 curing, and packing in casks ready for the market. 



During the operation of laying out the herring nets I 

 worked the tow-nets from the surface down to 5 fathoms — 

 one of these tow-nets was made of a fine muslin and the 

 other of a coarser material. When the nets were hauled on 



