THE MULLET FISHERY. 571 
where the apparatus is expensive and the number of men interested is much larger, the lay system 
becomes much more complicated. It depends somewhat upon the financial condition of the fisher- 
men, as affecting their relations with fishing capitalists; though in many localities the arrangements 
framed in early times have been handed down to the present generation with scarcely a change, for 
there is certainly no class of people that cling so tenaciously to the methods of their fathers as the 
fishermen. 
We will consider the principal lays only, for these, though differing somewhat with the locality, 
vary only within narrow limits. 
At Wilmington the average catch is about 350 barrels to the seine. Of this quantity the owner 
of the seine and boat draws one-third, the remainder being divided equally among the members of 
the crew, with the exception of the captain, who receives twice as much as any of the others. At 
Beaufort, where larger seines are employed, and the shores are owned by farmers, who exact a large 
price from the fishermen for the privilege of using them, the financial arrangement is as follows: 
‘The seine receives from six to ten shares; the boat takes one; the beach three to ten, according to 
its relative importance as compared to other shores in the vicinity; one share is given to the man 
who supplies the camp with wood; and the remainder is divided equally among the members of the 
crew, including the captain. We thus find the season’s catch divided into twenty-two to forty 
shares, the average being about thirty. During the season of 1879, which lasted from the middle 
of August to the 1st of November, the catch for the different seines averaged about 300 barrels each, 
a share thus consisting of 10 barrels. 
In certain parts of Western Florida the men, as a rule, own their own nets, but as the fishing 
stations are some distance from their homes, they usually provide themselves with salt and the 
necessary outfit and remain at the fishing shores during a greater portion of the season. Owing 
to a searcity of money they are frequently obliged to obtain their outfits on credit, and the man 
who furnishes them agrees to take the fish at a stipulated price in payment for the goods. This 
arrangement usually works to the disadvantage of the fishermen, as they are thus largely under 
the control of the merchant, who often charges exorbitant rates for the outfits, while he pays a com- 
paratively small price for the fish. In speaking of the fisheries of Hunter’s Point, Fla., Mr. Stearns 
says: “At this fishery, as at all others engaged in supplying the Cuban markets, the lay arrange- 
ment, with slight variations, is as follows: After all bills have been paid, such as duties, tonnage 
fees, provision bills, salt bills, &c., the owner of the fishery apparatus receives 15 per cent. of the 
gross stock, the owners of the vessels employed in taking the fish to Cuba 20 per cent., and of what 
is left each fisherman receives one share, the boys, if any, being allowed only half a share, while the 
captain receives a share and a half. The general complaint is that there is no money to be made 
in the business and that the fishermen always come out in debt. The vessel’s expenses are quite 
heavy and are paid out of the common stock, but unquestionably more profit is made by the vessel 
than by the men engaged in the fishery or by the owner or owners of the apparatus. The continued 
political troubles in Cuba have injured these fisheries, for the Cubans have no money, and so to 
save themselves from being worsted impose heavy duties upon all imports.” Occasionally all of 
the gear and outfit and the vessels engaged in marketing the fish are owned by the same parties. 
Under such circumstances a slightly different lay is generally adopted. At Gasparilla all of the 
gear and the carrying vessels belong to one company, who, having provided the outfit, receive 35 
per cent. of the catch and pay 35 per cent. of all the bills. The other 65 per cent. is divided equally 
among the two captains and the crew, who pay the remaining 65 per cent. of the bills. 
Prior to the rebellion, farmers living along the Alabama coast frequently owned seines and hired * 
