PILCHARD. 103 



plunged into the water at that part where escape alone is 

 practicable, until the fish then to be taken up are supported 

 in the holloAV or bunt of the sean. 



When brought to the surface, the voices of the men are 

 lost in the noise made by the fish as they beat the water. 

 The seaners fix themselves in pairs on the gunwales of the 

 boats, with flaskets to lade the fish on board. When the 

 quantity enclosed in the stop-sean is large, the tuck-sean is 

 made to enclose no more than the boats can carry, of which 

 a master seaner commonly forms a correct judgment by the 

 extent of the briming in his sean, as the fish move in it ; 

 and many advantages result from taking up only a portion 

 at one time, for the whole can thus be salted in proper con- 

 dition, without fatigue or extraordinary expense : thus a week 

 may possibly elapse before the whole of the capture is se- 

 cured, part being taken up every night. 



The description here given of the manner in which the 

 Pilchard fishery is conducted applies to the greater part of 

 the coast, but some variation occurs in particular districts. 

 In Mount's Bay the men and boats employed to take the 

 fish are not the same that convey it to land ; a mode of pro- 

 ceeding rendered necessary by the distance from shore at 

 which it is taken. The fishery at St. Ives is regulated by 

 a particular act of parliament, and there alone huers* con- 

 tinue to be employed, which were formerly common every- 

 where. The sean-fishery, as practised formerly, resembled 

 that carried on at St. Ives ; and in one of Norden"'s maps 

 is a representation of the taking of Pilchards by means of a 

 sweep-net, of which one end continues near the shore, as 

 then employed in St. Austle's Bay. The capture was drawn 

 on shore in the mode now used with ground-seans for other 



* Huers are men posted on elevated situations near the sea, who by various 

 concerted signals, made with a bunch of furze in each hand, direct the fishermen 

 how best to surround a schull of fish. 



