THE MACKEREL PURSE-SEINE FISHERY. 261 
night or day previous. When a school of fish is seen by the lookout, he at once shouts “TI see a 
school!” If it is the skipper who first descries them, he gives directions to the man at the wheel 
how to steer in order to approach them. If not, the man who first reports the school is asked in 
which direction it bears from the vessel. He also directs how the course shall be laid in order to 
approach close to the body of fish. In the mean time the men below, having been hurriedly 
awakened, rush on deck and quickly take their places in the seine-boat and dory which are towed 
alongside or astern. If the mackerel “show up” well and can be plainly seen by the men in the 
boat, the latter is cast off as soon as the vessel approaches close to the school, and the seine is set 
and pursed up in the same manner as has before been described; though it frequently happens 
that, owing to the darkness of the night, it is quite difficult to bring the ends of the net together 
with such a degree of certainty and success as it is generally done in the day-time. Of late, 
however, the custom of carrying a light in the dory has been adopted in order that the skipper, 
who steers the boat, may determine the position of the end of the seine first put out and there- 
fore be enabled to make a circle with a great deal more accuracy than he otherwise could. It 
often happens that fish can only be seen by the man at the mast-head, and in such cases the vessel 
is usually hove to near the mackerel, and the lookout directs the men in the boat how to row in 
order to surround the school. Another method, we are told, has been occasionally adopted when 
the chance for its success is promising. If the wind is sufficiently moderate the lookout at the 
foremast-head may direct the course of the vessel in such a manner that nearly a complete circle 
may be made round the school of fish. In this case the seine-boat remains fastened to the stern 
and is towed along by the vessel while the men in her throw out the seine in obedience to the 
order given by the man.at the mast-head. At the proper time she is cast off and proceeds to close 
up the circle by bringing together the ends of the seine. The dory is cast off and allowed to 
remain at the end of the seine as usual until the other end is brought around to her. An evolu- 
tion of this kind, of course, requires the most skillful seamanship for its success, and also remarka- 
ble qualities of adaptability in the vessel. : 
Night fishing, says Capt. Joseph Smith, can only be carried on in reasonably moderate weather. 
The boat is usually towed alongside of the vessel, the painter being fastened to the outrigger. When 
a school is seen, the men jump into the boat, each taking his station, and at the proper time the 
boat is cast off and proceeds to set the seine if the fish “show up” in a promising manner. Some- 
times, however, the school of mackerel may sink suddenly after the boat leaves the vessel’s side, 
and, in consequence, the fishermen are not able to set their seine. As a rule the man on the look- 
out aloft reports the school of fish and indicates the direction in which it is and tells about how far 
itis distant. After the boat leaves the vessel’s side, however, the captain, or seine-master, who 
steers, takes charge of her, and when the boat approaches near the fish, which may be seen by the 
phosphorescence in the water, he gives the order to put out the seine as his judgment may direct. 
On special occasions this method may be somewhat varied, but the usual practice of setting a seine 
in the night is the one described above. Sometimes a portion of the net is set from the boat while 
towing astern of the vessel; or, again, even while the boat is towing alongside. In the latter case 
the towing rope is fastened to the boat some distance aft from the stem, so that she will keep from 
the schooner’s side some 10 or 15 feet. The oarsmen have out their oars ready to pull whenever 
the man aloft gives the order for them to cast off. These methods of setting the seine, however, 
are only adopted when the fish do not show plainly, so that they can be seen by the men on the 
vessel’s deck, or in the boat; it therefore becomes necessary for the man on the masthead to give 
the requisite orders for throwing out the seine as well as to direct the wheelsman how to steerthe 
vessel until the boat leaves the side. 
