258 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 
as possible, and the second dory is rowed back to the seine for the purpose of holding up the bunt, 
since a school of 500 barrels may sink both seine and seine-boat if left without assistance. This, 
however, rarely occurs, and it generally happens that the school either is small enough to be dipped 
into the dory and to be taken to the vessel, or that the seine-boat without any assistance is capable 
of managing them until the vessel is brought alongside. 
While the fish are being caught the cook has charge of the vessel; if it happens to be about 
meal time he attends to the cooking as best he can, but whether the cakes burn or not the vessel 
must be cared for, and he generally divides his time between the forecastle and the wheel. If he 
is preparing dinner and is able to, he continues his cooking, taking charge of the vessel at the 
same time. 
The vessel usually “lays to,” with the jib to windward, not far from the seine-boat; and perhaps, 
as the cook sits at the wheel, he has a basin of potatoes before him, which he peels while he is 
eagerly watching every movement of the seine-boat, trying to ascertain whether his mates are suc- 
cessful, and, if so, to what degree. 
When the dory has been rowed aboard, the men at once take measures to bring the vessel 
alongside of the seine-boat. The evolution of shooting alongside of a seine-boat (described else- 
where) calls into play all the skill of the steersman. The vessel must approach so near that a 
rope may be thrown to the men in the seine-boat, and in such a manner that she will move slowly 
enough not to tear the seine as it is pulled along, before the schooner is “‘bowsed to the wind- 
ward” and her motion ceases. 
The cork-line is then taken over the side of the vessel and made fast by “stoppers” along the 
rail. This having been done the process of drying up is resumed, and the fish are gathered together 
in a compact body so that they can be dipped out upon the deck. When the fish are to be taken 
on deck the men are distributed as follows: Three or four are employed in hoisting the fish by means 
of a large dip-net attached to the main and fore staysail halyards; the captain directs the move- 
ments of the net, holding its long handle, and shouting “ Hoist!” when it is about half full of fish 
two men standing by the rail empty the dip-net on the deck. 
‘When all the fish have been bailed out the seine is overhauled and salted. In the mean time 
most of the crew are making preparations to dress the fish. If the school is large, the crew, cook 
and all, unless it is just at meal time, begin the work as soon as the fish are ready; if the catch 
of fish is small, and there is a prospect of getting another set that day, a part of the crew take 
the seine out of the seine-boat to mend it, if necessary, and lay it back in an orderly form so that 
it may’ be thrown out without difficulty. 
The operation of setting a seine around the school and pursing it up usually occupies from ten 
to twelve minutes, though it is claimed by some expert fishermen that they have done it in seven 
minutes. Under unfavorable circumstances it may be nearly an hour from the time the first end 
is thrown out until the “pursings” are on the boat. This delay is usually caused by a stron g tide, 
such as is generally found on George’s. The catch of a purse-seine may vary from one barrel to 
five or six hundred barrels. The seine may be set eight or ten times in the course of a day without 
getting any considerable quantity, or perhaps no fish, the mackerel escaping by diving under the 
“lead-line”; and then a more fortunate set will secure more fish than can by any possibility be 
taken care of by the crew of the vessel. Under such circumstances it is customary to set a flag 
from the main-topmast head or main peak. This is to indicate to vessels which may be in sight 
that more fish have been caught than can be taken care of, and that the skipper is willing to dispose 
of some of them. This is called “giving the seine away.” Sometimes the fish are given away to 
