THE MACKEREL FISHERY. 
181 
When the very old fishermen were in the heyday of their 
calling, the boats in use were three-mast lugger-rigged (especially 
those of Mounts Bay), of thirty feet to thirty-four feet keel — open 
boats with sharp stern — quite a unique type, a facsimile of those 
now used by the fishermen of Brittany, possessing exceptional 
sailing qualities. I have heard old salts recount with considerable 
glee an occasional chase after them by a Government cruiser (for 
they were often suspected of running the gauntlet with contra- 
band goods on board), and if it was a turning to windward the 
Revenue cutter generally got the worst of the chase. 
In my paper on the "Herring Fishery" I mentioned that at 
Great Yarmouth the herring fishery was carried on to a greater 
extent than at any other port in England. I find that in the year 
1825 no less than £17,000 was earned by the Yarmouth mackerel 
boats. The fishing was carried on during the months of May and 
June, and the rig of the boats was precisely the same as that of 
boats in Mounts Bay, though very much larger. In 1853 no less 
than ninety boats were engaged in catching mackerel there, 
probably as large a fleet as at any port in England, and the total 
earnings that season were £27,000. Since then, however, up to 
within the last ten years the Yarmouth mackerel fishery nearly 
died out, the mackerel ceasing to visit the coast in quantity ; and 
even to-day there are not probably more than twenty Yarmouth 
boats engaged in fishing for mackerel. 
In turning to Lowestoft, however, only thirteen miles apart, the 
very reverse of this is seen — a score of mackerel boats has increased 
to 120. 
In prosecuting the mackerel fishery the difficulty of meeting 
with fish is greater than in fishing for ground fish. At present 
our Plymouth boats are working from twelve to twenty-five miles 
S. and S.S.W. of Start. We have about 250 boats night after 
night trying to capture the mackerel, but seldom more than a sixth 
of the fleet are successful during this time of the year ; whereas 
during the months of April, May, June, and July the fishing 
becomes more regular, and the chance of earning money not so 
uncertain. If there is any such thing as luck in fishing, it 
certainly is now. It often happens that one boat will haul in 
£50 or £60 worth, while scores of boats on the same ground will 
get nothing. 
A practice prevails just now, which was almost unknown to the 
