181 



or nets," and ordered the forfeiture of tHese implements, and the .ves- 

 sels and boatSj of persons who violated the decree. 



The mode of catching by "bobbing," or with '♦ fly-lines," is said to 

 have been introduced about the year 1803, by the fishermen of Glou- 

 cester: these lines are still in use at sea. The course of our' fishermen 

 in pursuit of the mackerel is commonly and substantially as follows : 

 The master of the vessel, after reaching some well known resort of the 

 fish, fiirls all his sails except the mainsail, brings his vessel's bow to 

 the wind, ranges his crew at proper intervals along one of her sides, 

 and, without a mackerel in sight, attempts to raise a school, scool, or shoal, 

 by throwing over bait. If he succeeds to his wishes, a scene ensues 

 which can hardly be described, but which it were worth a trip to the 

 fishiag ground to witness. I have heard more than one fisherman say 

 that he had caugh£ sixty mackerel in a minute ; and when he was told 

 that at that rate he had taken thirty-six hundred in an hour, and that, 

 with another person as expert, he would catch a whole fare in a single 

 day, he would reject the figures, as proving riothing beyond a wish to un- 

 dervalue his skill. Certain it is, that some active young men will haul 

 in and jerk off a fish, and thi-ow out the line for another, with a single 

 motion ; and repeat the act in so rapid succession, that their arms seem 

 continually on the swing. To be " high-line,"* is an object of eavnest 

 desire among the ambitious ; and the muscular ease, the precision, 

 and adroitness of movement which such men exhibit in the strife, are 

 admirable. While the scool remains alongside and will take the hook, 

 the excitement of the men and the rushing noise of the fish, in their 

 beautiful and manifold evolutions in the water, arrest the attention at 

 the most careless observer. ^ 



Oftentimes the fishing ceases in a moment, and as if put an end to 

 by magic : the fish, according to the fishermen's conceit, panic-stricken 

 by the dreadfiil havoc among them, suddenly disappear from sight. 



Eight, ten, and even twelve thousand have been caught, and must 

 now be "dressed down." This process covers the persons of the crew, 

 the deck, the tubs, and everything near, with blood and garbage ; and 

 as it is often performed in darkness and weatiness, and under the reac- 

 tion of overtasked nerves, the novice and the gentleman or amateur 

 fisher, who had seen and participated in nothing but keen sport, become 

 disgusted- They ought to remernber that in the recreations of man- 

 hood, as in those of youth, the toil of hauling the hand-sled up hill is 

 generally in proportion to the steepness and sfipperiness which gave 

 the pleasurable velocity down. 



The- approach of night or the disappearance of the mackerel closing 

 all labor with the hook and line, the fish, as they are dressed, are 

 thrown into casks of water to rid them of blood. The deck is then 

 cleared and washed; the mainsail is hauled down, and the foresail is 

 hoisted in its stead; a lantern is placed in the rigging; a watch is set to 

 salt the fish and keep a lookout for the night ; and the master and the 

 remainder of the crew at a late hour seek repose. The earliest gleams 

 of light find the anxious master awake, hurrying forward preparations 

 for the morning's mealj and making other arrangements for a renewal 



* To catcb the greatest number of' fish. 



