TRAWLING. 
377 
two equal parts of sixty meshes each, one sixty being for the 
bosom proper, and the rest for the wings ; and by continuing to 
drop one mesh at the side of each round, forming what is termed 
a flying mesh, to which in turn is attached a line, called the 
bolet-line ; to this is afterwards fastened the ground-rope. 
The several parts of the trawl net being thus made, it is laced 
together by the sides (or selvedge), and this forms the bag, con- 
taining pockets. These pockets, constructed by simply interlacing 
a portion of the bag at its lower part together by the side, form 
a funnel, through which the fish are caused to pass by the net 
being towed through the water at the bottom of the ocean. This 
finally finds the fish at the cod-end, which is secured by a strong- 
piece of rope, drawn together just as a bag-purse. 
The net is then securely fastened to the trawl beam, made of 
oak or beech or elm, from thirty -eight to fifty feet long, of 
twenty-one inches in circumference, to both ends of which is 
attached the trawl iron, on heads weighing from 200 to 500 lbs., 
according to the size of the craft, &c. 
To the heads are fastened the spar or bridle, this in turn 
being fastened by strong shackles to the trawl warp, for towing 
the net along when fishing, which completes the gear. 
I must ask those of you who have been fortunate enough to 
have gone out in Mr. Watson's Lola, and seen the modus operandi, 
to permit me to explain to those here this evening who have not 
been so favoured, how Trawling is done. We must imagine, then, 
we are sailing to the fishing-ground with a fine spanking breeze, and 
that we are really at the desired spot. The skipper stands at the 
helm, the gear is quite ready for putting over, and the skipper 
shouts, " Pay away the trawl !" Over it goes in the sea, and the 
word of command is given, " Let go forward." Away the fore 
part of the beam and head goes with a crash and splash, until it 
comes square across the stern of our smack ; and then the last 
word is given, "Let go abaft," and all of a sudden trawl and 
trawl beam go sinking to the bottom, attached to the warp ; 
and when sufficiently astern, some 180 fathoms, the warp is 
secured, and towing the net along is the order both of the day and 
night, until the haul is finished, and in due course the net is got 
on board with its contents. 
The process of raising the vast cod-end to the boat's side is no 
easy matter, requiring considerable manual strength and tact, 
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