PILCHARD. 
89 
in which they are proceeding, in a great measure depends 
the success of the adventure. It is his duty to place himself 
in some commanding situation, and by well-known motions to 
direct the proceedings of the men afloat; and in the west of 
Cornwall, especially on the north, the fishery could not be 
conducted without him. 
While the fishery lasts the master has the entire command 
of the adventure; and beginning usually about the 1st. of 
August, the boats proceed to some well-known sandy bay, 
and cast anchor, keeping a good look-out for the appearance 
of the school. This is expected to appear at the decline of 
the day, and is discovered either by the rippling of the 
surface, the leaping above it or stoiting of the fish, or by the 
Colour of the water; which latter, where the sandy bottom is 
^ight, becomes well marked. The master first proceeds in 
tfie lurker to the place where these appearances shew them- 
selves, in order that he be certain of the magnitude of the 
school, with the direction it is taking, coupled with the state 
of the tide, and the freedom of the bottom from rocks. 
The fish are alarmed at noise; and the firing of a heavy 
S'ln at the distance of twenty miles has been known to cause 
sink, and thus disappoint the labour of the 
. ermen. All the proceedings are therefore directed by 
®^gus, and when the circumstances are thus known to be 
avourable, a warp from the end of the stop sean is handed 
u the crew of the volger, whose duty it is to keep it taut, 
lue the lurker preserves its station near the fish, to observe 
uir motions, and point out to the sean boat the space to be 
®uclosed. The sean boat at this important period is rowed 
y four men only, the other three being employed in throwing 
ut 01 shootifig the net; and so active is the strength exerted 
and ^ ‘^uuasion, that this large quantity of .net, rope, cork, 
^ lead is thrown into the sea in less than five minutes. 
c sean thus thrown overboard at first forms a curved line 
‘-•'OSS the course of the school; and while the larger boats 
engaged in warping the ends together, to enclose the fish 
in a pond, the lurker takes its station at the opening in 
be T dashing the water with the oars the fish may 
this from the only place where their escape is at 
time possible. When the ends of the sean are thus 
IV. j, 
