464 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 
The purse-seines are used in a manner exactly similar to that of the mackerel and menhaden 
fisheries, and they have a great advantage over the drag-seines, especially as they are set in the 
deeper water at a considerable distance from the shore, where the vessels can be brought alongside 
and fastened to them; and the herring can be landed directly upon the deck by means of large 
dip-nets. This is a great saving of time and labor, as no men are required for boating, and the 
trips are, as a rule, much more easily and quickly secured. 
METHops AT NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR.—On the west coast of Newfoundland, accord- 
ing to Captain Collins, the fish are taken almost exclusively in gill nets, as they usually remain in 
the deep arms of the bays, where they cannot be seined. The fishing is carried on wholly by the 
natives of the island, who seriously object to the use of nets or other apparatus by American fisher- 
men. For this reason the Americans seldom attempt to catch their own trips, but buy them from 
the jack (small vessel) and boat fishermen of the islands. The vessels engaged in this trade usually 
proceed to some convenient cove or harbor, where they remain until a trip box has been secured, 
the fishermen bringing the herring to the vessel as soon as they have been taken. When for any 
reason the fish are scarce in the locality first visited they proceed to another harbor, and are some- 
times obliged to visit several before securing full fares. The captains before starting from home 
often purchase a considerable quantity of provisions, such as flour, pork, and beef, besides various 
articles of clothing, and an assortment of trinkets. These articles are taken to Newfoundland and 
given to the natives in exchange for their herring. In fact the American fisherman often becomes 
a trader, having his stock of goods on bis vessel, where he is visited by many of the islanders, who 
frequently purchase considerable quantities. The practice is of great advantage to both parties, 
as one is enabled to make a fair profit on the goods and the other secures necessary articles of food 
and clothing, which otherwise it would be almost impossible to do on account of the absence of 
any resident in the region. At one time the method of barter was almost universally adopted in 
the trade with the herring-catchers of the island, but of late years a good many captains are paying 
cash for their cargoes. 
On the coast of Labrador the herring are usually taken in ordinary gill-nets carried by the 
vessels for this purpose. A few, however, are taken by means of small haul-seines owned by the 
natives of the various harbors or by the Newfoundland fishermen who spend their summers in 
this country. : * 
5. LAY OF THE FISHERMEN. 
When the fishery began the vessels carried nets for catching the fish, and the crew fished on 
shares. In this case the owners provided the vessels with the necessary outfit, including pro- 
visions, while the fishermen furnished their time and labor, receiving one-half of the net proceeds 
of the trip for their services. This was also the case when the vessels carried purse-seines. When 
they bought their fish, however, it was customary for the owners to hire a sufficient number of 
men to handle the vessel on the passage and to hire men and boats at Canso, or some other point 
along the shore, to transport the fish from the nets to the vessel, paying them a definite sum for 
their services and leaving them at their homes on their return. In other cases a contract was 
made with the foreign fishermen to furnish the fish on the vessel’s deck, where the crew were of 
course in readiness to receive and care for them. 
In the fall and winter fisheries of the Newfoundland coast the fish are purchased, as already 
stated, a larger number of men being required to sail the vessel on account of the storms that 
frequently occur at this season. a 
