16 HIST.)RY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 
credibly informed, a schooner would sail along, dropping her dories 2 or 3 miles apart, and in that 
way a single set of the trawl-lines, set parallel with the shore, would stretch along 12 or 15 miles 
of the coast. In this case the dories were provided with sails, and their crews, after hauling their 
gear, would set sail and steer for the vessel, thus shortening the time of their arrival on board. 
The fishermen from the ports on Long Island Sound have adopted somewhat different methods 
from those just described, which apply more particularly to the Gloucester fishermen, who, par 
excellence, are the halibut fishermen of New England. The former usually fish on George’s Bank, 
Brown’s Bank, and the Seal Island Ground, where the tide is strong and the water not of extraor- 
dinary depth. In these localities it has been found desirable for the boats, after setting their gear, 
to remain at its outer end until the tide slacks, which is the time for hauling. This practice, 
according to Tripland, still continues. 
HAULING TRAWLS.—The length of time which a trawl is allowed to remain out before being 
hauled varies from two to fifteen or eighteen hours, in fine weather. In rough weather several 
days may elapse before a fitting opportunity offers to perform this operation. If the chances are 
equally favorable it is customary to begin hauling at the outer end of the trawl, although the 
direction of the wind or current influences the fishermen in making their choice. The dories may 
sail or row to the outer ends of the trawls, as circumstances may permit. Ifthe wind is ahead, of 
course the oars must be depended upon, and, as previously stated, sails are seldom carried in 
winter. Butin summer it is often a lively scene to witness the dories leaving the vessel’s side 
under sail, with a leading breeze, and all starting off on a race for their outer buoys. When the 
buoy is reached the oars are “shipped” in and placed where they will be least in the way, or on the 
side opposite to that on which the trawl is to be hauled; sometimes the blades are tucked through 
the stern becket and the handles shoved well aft. 
The hurdy-gurdy or crank-winch for heaving up the trawls is then rigged in its place on the bow 
of the dory, and the “roller” is placed in position on one side of the bow. A turn is taken with the 
buoy-line around the barrel of the hurdy-gurdy by the man in the bow of the dory, who reaches 
the buoy (to which the end of the buoy-line is fastened) to his dory mate in the stern. The latter 
now takes his place in the after compartment, holding on the buoy-line, hauling and coiling it 
at the same time, while the man at the bow kneels down, and grasping the handle of the winch, 
turns it around, over and over, in a laborious manner, until all the buoy line (frequently 350 to 500 ~ 
fathoms) is hove in, and the anchor is at the bow. The turns are then taken off the hurdy-gurdy, 
and the anchor pulled in over the boat’s bow, and when a few fathoms of trawl are in, the latter is 
unbent and the anchor placed on the side of the dory, with one arm over the boat’s gunwale and 
the stock resting against her side. The man standing aft now spreads a skate in the bottom of 
the dory, between his feet, and the trawl, as fast as it is pulled in, is coiled on this skate. Unless 
there is a very heavy strain on the trawl, it is hauled over the roller, though it often is necessary 
to employ the hurdy-gurdy to heave in the line, which in many instances becomes 80 firmly 
attached to the bottom that it breaks and is lost. No little skill is required in the use of the 
trawl-winch in rough weather to prevent the dory from being capsized. When the boat has no 
fish in and sits lightly on the water, she is rather crank, and at such times if she rises quickly on 
the slope of a wave, with a heavy strain on the line, she is liable to turn over. The man who is 
holding the line must watch every motion very carefully, for should he fail to slack the line at 
the right instant, over goes his dory, gunwale under, and he and his companion are thrown into 
the sea. It is altogether possible that lives have been lost in this manner, as well as by reckless 
overloading of dories, though it may fairly be assumed that such accidents are rare. 
What has been said of setting and hauling trawls (especially the latter) applies more particu- 
