342 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 
“The weir is hauled once a day, and always at slack water, because with a strong tide running 
east or west it is impossible to handle the bottom lines. The men pull out in two parties, of which 
one in a large scow passes around the outside of the bowl, casting off the bottom lines, while the 
other in a yawl-boat pushes inside the bowl, puils up the sliding poles, and closes the entrances. 
The slackening of the bottom line allows the bowl-net to hang free, and the crew inside begin to 
haul up the bottom of this net in such a way as to work the fish toward one corner, letting the 
net as it comes to the surface pass under their boat, which is thus slowly drawn across the bowl 
toward the corner where the capture is to take place, and where the scow is already waiting 
outside. 
“The scene now becomes an exciting one. The menhaden in thousands begin to show the 
upper lobes of their tails above the water; here and there darts a feverish mackerel like a blue 
and silver flash; great leathery skates, looking like pigs rolled out flat, raise their snouts in slow 
astonishment; here a shark suddenly works his way through the crowding mob; hundreds of 
goggle-eyed squid, smothered in the press, feebly ply their force pumps; and there the murderous 
bluefish, undismayed by imminent death, glares fiercely and snaps his savage jaws to the last. 
All these, with flat-fish, sea robins, butterfish, and many more, are taken and rolled in a fluttering 
mass, iridescent with changing colors, and shower their silver scales high in air. It moves even 
the weirmen, in their oilskin clothes, with a slight excitement as they cull out from the menhaden 
the choice and the offal fishes. There is Uncle Abishai smiting sharks with a spear, like so many 
Sauls, arid he smiteth them not twice; and Captain Ed’ard endeavoring, with a swift scoop-net, to 
eapture a dodging shad, because Mrs. Asa has boarders and needs a fish dinner; and Captain 
Charles, with the air of one who gets a toy for a good child, diligently striving after some of them 
ere striped robins that the professor wanted. All this is strange and entertaining, even to a 
commissioner, who, by the motion of a long swell and the evil piscatory odor, is somewhat afflicted 
with what the local satire terms ‘ white-ears? 
“And now the menhaden, bushels on bushels, are scooped all quivering into the great scow, 
for a little outside lies a mackereler who has just let go her anchor with a rattle, and a boat is 
pulling in with the skipper to buy bait. ‘What you got?’ cries he, in an indifferent tone. ‘Men-. 
haden,’ retorts Captain Warren, as if speaking of a new and scarce fish. (A pause.) ‘I don’t 
know but I might take a few barrels if they are low,’ says the skipper. (Noreply.) ‘What do you 
want for ’em?’ ‘Eighty-five cents” shouts Captain Warren, and then (sotto voce), ‘I don’t believe 
he’s got a scale.” At this answer the man of mackerel pushes over the tiller and steers off indig- 
nantly; but presently pauses, ‘Give you sixty-five for seventy barrels.’ ‘Seventy-five cents is 
the lowest,’ replies Captain Warren. ‘Call it seventy cents for seventy-five barrels.” ‘Waal, 
Waal’ And by this time the scow is full, and the weirmen pull for the vessel, whose numerous 
crew is ready to hoist the bait on board and salt it down. They stand with knives, barrels, and 
chopping-blocks, and rapidly cut off the heads and tails of the fish, and the thin parts of the sides, 
then give a gash in the shoulder, and throw them into the barrel for salting. A mackereler will 
take as many as 120 barrels of such bait, which is minctd fine in a hand-mill and thrown over to 
toll the fish.” 
The change in the method of taking mackerel has well-nigh done away with the use of toll-bait 
so extensively employed in the days of mackerel hooking. . 
6. OIL AND GUANO FACTORIES. 
As stated in a previous paragraph, the chief products of the menhaden are the oil and guano, 
to be obtained by a process of cooking and pressing. A limited quantity is used for food along 
