The Cod Fishery in Variotts Countries. 27 



Taking the annual catch on the banks and along the 

 shores at 2,750,000 cwt, and averaging 50 codfish to the 

 cwt, it is estimated that there are drawn from the waters 

 around Newfoundland 137,500,000 codfish in a year. 

 Besides the fish, the oil obtained from the cod forms also 

 a considerable item in the business. About one hogshead 

 of oil is produced from every five tons of fish. 



The bultow is a long line, with hooks fastened along 

 its whole length, at regular distances, by shorter and 

 smaller cords, called " snoods," which are six feet long, 

 and are placed on the long line 12 feet apart, to 

 prevent the hooks becoming entangled. Near the hooks, 

 these shorter lines, or snoods, are formed of separate 

 threads, loosely fastened together, to guard against the 

 teeth of the fish. Buoys, buoy-ropes, and anchors or 

 grapnels are fixed to each eiid of the line ; and the lines 

 are always laid, or as it is termed " shot," across the tide, 

 for if the tide runs upon the end of the line the hooks, 

 will become entangled, and the fishing will be wholly lost. 

 For the deep-sea fishery the bultow is of great length. 



The French fishing vessels, after anchoring on the 

 bank, in about 45 fathoms of water, run out about 100 

 fathoms of cable, and prepare to catch cod with two lines, 

 each 3000 fathoms in length. The snoods are arranged as 

 previously described, and the hooks being baited, the lines 

 are neatly coiled in half-bushel baskets, clear for running 

 out. The baskets are placed in two strong-built lugsail 

 boats, and at three o'clock in the afternoon both make 

 sail together, at right angles from the vessel on opposite 

 sides. When the lines are run out straight, they are sunk 

 to within two feet of the bottom. At daybreak next 

 morning, the boats proceed to trip the sinkers at the ex- 

 tremities of the lines, and while the crew of each boat are 



