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428 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 
heart. Often enough men who have obtained boats and nets on credit and hired persons to assist them during the 
. fishery are so unfortunate as not to catch enough of herrings to pay their expenses—the curers for whora they 
engaged to fish having retained most of the bounty money on account of boats and nets; consequently the hired 
servants have frequently to go home, sometimes to a great distance, penniless. It would be much better if the old 
system of a share were reintroduced. In that case the hired men would at least participate to the extent of the 
fishing, whether it were good or bad. Boat-owners try of course to get as good terms as possible, as well in the shape 
of price for herrings as in bounty and perquisites. My idea is that there ought to be no engagements, no bounty, and 
no perquisites. As each fishing comes round let the boats catch and the curers buy day by day as the fish arrive at 
the quay. This plan has already been adopted at some fishing towns, and is an obvious improvement on the prevailing 
plan of gambling by means of ‘‘engagements” in advance," : 
AMERICAN METHODS.—In New England the relation of vessel owners and dealers to the 
fishermen is very different from that already described. The vessels are usually owned by the 
captain, who selects his crew from among his friends on account of their supposed fitness for and 
experience in the fishery. The owner furnishes the vessel in a condition ready for sea, and receives 
in return from one-fifth to one-seventh of the first value of the catch. The crew, on the other hand, 
provide all the apparatus for the fishery, including boats, nets, and other fishing-gear. They are 
also expected to provide themselves with provisions, and to arrange with one of their number to 
act as cook. The cook is, in most cases, the son of the captain, or of some member of the crew, 
whose services are obtained for a small compensation. He is expected to remain constantly on 
board to care for the vessel while the men are tending their nets, and, in addition to preparing 
the food, must assist in salting and packing the fish. 
The vessel is generally taken to one of the larger ports in the vicinity of the fishing-grounds, 
where an arrangement is made with a fish-dealer to supply barrels and salt for packing and curing 
the catch. The dealer usually supplies the provisions necessary for food, and in some instances 
furnishes a portion of the fishing-gear, it being understood that he shall receive the fish at a stated 
price. The fishermen seldom pay for the outfit when it is received, put on the contrary run an 
account with the dealer, who depends largely upon their catch for his money; and it often hap- 
pens, when the fisheries are poor, that he loses heavily. There is a disposition among certain crews 
to avoid the payment of their obligations, and it frequently occurs that, unless carefully watched, 
they will carry the greater part of their catch to other places for a market, selling for cash and 
pocketing the money. The dealers have lost so heavily in this way that they are now very cau- 
tious as to whom they will trust, and the skippers who for any reason are not considered responsi- 
ble, experience considerable difficulty in finding a dealer who is willing to advance them the neces- 
sary outfit. Many of them are thus placed at a disadvantage, as they seldom have sufficient funds 
to pay for their goods until they have disposed of their catch. 
After the catch has been marketed the vessel’s portion of the money is set aside. All bills, 
including the cook’s wages and the cost of salt, barrels, provisions, &c., are then paid out of the 
general stock, after which the money is divided equally among the different members of the crew, 
the captain sharing equally with the others. The amount of money realized by the men engaged 
in the herring fisheries varies exceedingly ; some vessels are very successful and secure large trips, 
while others may fish the entire season with only moderate success. The average share to the 
fishermen would be, perhaps, $30 to $50 per month. 
4. METHODS OF CAPTURE. 
ToRCHING.—There are three principal methods of catching the herring on the coast of the 
United States. The oldest, and in early years the most common method, was that known as 
“torching.” Later, brush weirs were introduced, and these are now extensively employed in 
* Harvest of the Sea, pp. 183-185, 
