THE SARDINE INDUSTRY. 503 
swimming rapidly they often enter the weirs against the tide, when they are said to “stem in;” 
but when swimming slowly they are frequently carried or drifted into the weirs, when they are 
said to “drop in.” On entering they are very apt to swim slowly about in a circle, keeping severa? 
feet from the brush, seldom aftempting to escape through the numerous openings, which are often 
2 or 8 feet in diameter. Many of the openings in the lower part of the weir are partially or wholly 
closed by the muscles and alge that grow very rapidly in these waters and soon nearly or quite 
cover the brush, making it much more compact than it would otherwise be. 
THE CATCH AFFECTED BY THE TIDES AND MOON.—All agree that the fishing is best at night, 
as the fish seem somewhat timid about entering the weir in the day-time, or even when the moon 
is full. The best fishing is therefore during the new moon or’when the nights are peculiarly dark, 
and the fishermen speak of “the darks” as something particularly desirable. 
The time of night during which the weirs will fish is thoroughly understood by the fishermen. 
For some weirs it occurs when high water is between 8 p. m. and 2 a. m., and for others when it is 
between 1 and4 a.m. Others still fish best when high water occurs about sunrise. 
When the conditions are favorable the tides “serve” or “the tides are on,” as the fishermen 
say. At other times “the tides are off,” and the fishermen frequently neglect to visit the weirs, as 
they expect nothing. On this account the catch is very irregular. 
METHOD OF FISHING THE WEIR.—The services of three to five men are required in fishing a 
weir. Just before low water one of the number rows out to see if there is a sufficient quantity of 
fish to pay for the trouble of seining. If it is night a torch is lighted and held over the edge of 
the boat in order that the fish may be drawn to the surface, where they may be readily seen. 
From one to two hogsheads are considered enough to warrant them in using the seine. If the 
weir is to be fished the men arrive at low water with two or three boats, one of them proceeding 
to the reel near by, where the seine is kept. This is usually from 15 to 25 fathoms long, 10 to 20 
feet deep, and when new is worth about $50. Two men enter the boat to stow the seine, while 
one remains on the platform to unreel it. The gate of the weir is now opened wide enough to 
admit the seine boat, after which it is again closed and securely fastened, that the fish may not 
escape. This gate is built in the pocket or “bunt” of the weir, for the purpose of admitting the 
oats and of liberating any small or worthless fish, or any surplus catch that for some reason 
cannot be utilized. 
Two methods of seining are practiced by the fishermen of Eastport, as follows: 
By the first method the fish are drawn by the net into shoal water near the beach, after which 
they are “rolled” into the boat and secured. It is not desirable to land them upon the shore on 
account of the dirt that would adhere to them, but when they are confined within narrow limits 
they are easily taken by means of large dip-nets.. 
By the second method the fish are drawn together in the “‘bunt” of the weir where the water is 
deepest, and secured in a similar manner. In seining, one end of the net is fastened to the side of 
the weir and the net is “paid out” within a few feet of the brush, until the “hook” is reached, 
when a small boat is sent to drive the fish into the bunt. This is done by splashing, or by strik- 
ing the side of the boat with the oars. After the fish have been driven in, the seine is rowed back 
to the weir on the opposite side. The herring are thus confined in a space bounded by the weir on 
one side and by the netting on the other. One end of the net is now fastened to the bow of the boat 
and slowly carried along the weir until it meets the other, after which the staffs are firmly planted 
in the mud. The circle inclosed by the seine is now slowly reduced until the mass of fish is suffi- 
ciently compact, when the dipping begins. The dip-net, which is 3 or 4 feet ‘in diameter and 5 or 
6 feet deep, will hold about 5 or 6 barrels of fish. It is attached to a short wodden handle, by 
