140 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 
while he scans the surface of the water for the ripple of passing schools, and a lookout in the bows, 
motionless as a figure-head, resting upon his elbows and peering into the depths before him. Now 
one gives warning, and over goes the seine smoothly and noiselessly, and with a rapid circuit the 
bait is impounded and quickly hauled on board. One cast is generally sufficient, for the capelan 
swarm in millions, swimming so densely that often a dip-net can be filled from a passing shoal. 
They keep near the shore to avoid their finny pursuers, and are left floundering upon the rocks by 
every reflex wave. The cod often leap clear of the water in their pursuit, and at such times may 
be taken by the hook almost the instant it touches the water. The capelan is a delicate fish, about 
6 inches in length and not unlike a smelt; his back a dark olive green, sides of changing rainbow 
hues, and belly silvery white. * * * Later in the season, after this bait-fish disappears, launce 
are used for bait, and herring in their turn. 
“Returning to the vessel the seines are hung to dry, and from every masthead flaunt like 
gossamer veils swayed by the evening breeze. The boats float alongside, moored to outriggers, 
and with their vessel seem like fledgelings nestling beside the parent bird. From many a deck 
lurid fires flash and flicker in the gathering darkness, revealing dusky figures grouped around—the 
fishermen preparing their hasty supper. They use no stoves, but build their fires in halves of 
hogsheads filled with sand. Then follows a night of refréshing slumber, and at earliest dawn they 
start for the ground again. 
“At the stages on shore work goes briskly on. From the loaded boats the cod are thrown 
upon the platform with pitchforks. There they pass respectively through the hands of the ‘cut- 
throat’ and ‘header’ who remove the livers, tongues, and sounds; thence to the ‘splitter,’ 
who takes out the backbone, and thence, divested of the entrails, which are shoveled into the 
water, below to the salter, who piles them in ‘kenches,’ head and tail, salting profusely between 
the layers. After remaining thus for three weeks the water and ‘ gurry’ are absorbed, and they 
are then placed upon the ‘flakes’ to dry. At the end of three days they are said to be ‘made.’ 
After this they are piled in ‘kenches’ again for a day to ‘sweat them’—that is, to remove remaining 
moisture—and are again thrown upon the flakes for a day. They are then ready to be stowed in 
bulk in the vessel. Thus cured they bring from $2 to $3.50 per quintal. 
“Woman, too, hath a part in this business, and in the recesses of the moss-roofed hovels her 
voice may be heard singing gaily as she ‘heads,’ while the unceasing splash of the water beneath 
fitly chimes in unison. These are wont to stand in tubs while at work, protected -from the filth 
and offal by long gowns—cod-liveries—of oil-cloth extending to the floor; and when their task is 
done they emerge from these like butterflies from their chrysalids, clean and intact, in statu quo. 
An expert will split 8,000 fish per day, or head twice that number. The lodging shanties are con- 
structed of spruce poles or sheds, generally boasting but a single apartment, and here both sexes 
occupy in common, the only partition being that mathematical one which excludes all objects not 
within the line of vision.” * 
Captain Atwood writes: “‘ We sailed from Provincetown on June 6, 1820. We went to the coast 
of Labrador, but, as it happened, we were unfortunate in getting codfish. Our men were not the best 
of fishermen, so we got only a very small share. We carried 160 hogsheads of salt and brought back 
about 30. I don’t know how far north we went, but it was to the locality familiarly known to us as 
Grosswater Bay. Our mode of fishing then was to let the vessel lie in the harbor and send the boats 
out. Atthat time Provincetown had nota single vessel on the Grand Bank, and had two or three 
small vessels which went to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence for mackerel. All the fishing vessels were on 
the coast of Labrador. We carried four boats. We used one to get capelan for bait when capelan 
* Harper’s Magazine, xxii, 1861, 595. 
