Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-11-07
COD FISHING AND SEAL. CATCHING

no haaw. What's your sentiments, PeteIi
81 have my doubts"
COD-FlSHING AND SEAL.CATCHiSG.
A work entitled Excursions in aud about New.
foundlsnd." by Jukes, has recently been pub
llshed. The writer thus describes the operation OF
Cod fishing:
"Asoul the beginning oil May oil the popula-
ton are on the alert preparing tor the fishery, sy-
ias in stores OF summer provisions, aud hooks,
lines. nets, clothes. ami the rissnss of their boats
Towards the middle or end OF May the hrs, shoai
Of behring's, called by the natives the spring her
rings, appear. These ere Immediately caught IN
nets, and used rs bait ios the cod fish. In the mid
die Of une the cspelin IA and last 10 the mid
die OF July; and wrh them commences the height
OF the fishery. Livery man, woman and chid IS
then fully employed. A married man havin, IA
mily usually out with his sons takes his brek.
ct full OF capeiin for ba and, rowing the fishing
ground generally nile or two outside the barber,
anchors and commences hshlng. Each person IN
the boat has two lines, about twenty-five iathoms
long, with TWO more hooks. These he fings one
on each SIDE CT the boat, the end OF the line beng
made fast TO The lhwart. Feeling each oecasona-
w. the moment he strikes a fish lac h. uls him in,
lings him down in the boat, bats the hook, aud
throws out his line again. When they gsi what
they call good squirt Of fish, each pessoo will
sometimes 5e fully employed hauling in oae line
after TIE othes fast as he can b,n,hem and throw
them out again. When this happens hour or
two suifees 10 NIL the boat which then sails away
with her cargo 10 the stage head. Here The fish eIe
iotkcd out OF tbs GOAT vain kind OF boat hook or
piSe, the prong being struck ito he had nd The
fish thrown up on TO the stage much IN thu same
manner as hay is thrown into 4 cart. Oat!e stage
are usually tie feraaes OF the iirnIly, or
two assisted bv ie'oaes, &c the case may o.. TEe
two most Skiiful OF ihess calico respectively the
header ard the splitter. TIE business OF the lfsi
IS TO cut the nh open across the throat ant down
the belly, ani pass II 10 assistant, who, Iakin out
the live., drops that into tub side, ami
teaf.os of the head and enIrnils throws taem down
on the other side. The liver rs preserved TO make
oil, and the head end garbage drop into the water
which flows underneath. The FISH is then passed
10 the splitter, who by dextesous movement Gus
out the backbone from the neck nearly to the tai.
end tho. lays the fish entirely open, an capable OF
, being laid fat oa lts back.
This Is the most important part oil the operation,
and good splitter always commands superior
e wages at merchants Establishment. When split
open the fish salled, laid in plies TO drain, wash
! 81 and salIed ssair ard anay laid in the sun on
! clear Gays TO dry and harden. While thus EXPOS
cd they require much attention, and the women are
constantly locking after them, laying them up in
round heaps with the skin ouiwards at night,
The approach of rain, in which state they look very
J much like small haycocks."
! He calculates that fisherman, when most for
tunate, may catch IN day quantity Of cod weigh
ing over 1000 l5s Wish respect TO The GtunGAn:e
OF the fsh he says:
: "One calm July evening / was in a boat ou,sid.
81 Johns ma Dor, when The sea pretty skill aGd
the Ash were 'bgeaehlns' as \ is termed For sev~
: eral miles around US the calm sea alive with
hsh.-They were sporting 90 the surface Of the
water, flirting their tails occasiaaaiy into the Dir.
and ns Tar rs could be seen the water was ripped
and broken 10y their movements. Looking down
INTO lis clear dephs, Goldfish under codfsh, OF all
sizes, appeared swimming about as Il IN sport
Some boats were fishing, but not bite could they
ger, The fish being already gorged with food
sPeared ore great fellow with the spike OF he boat
nook; 6ut there beiCg tail to H. he sotaway; and,
as far as could see, that the only hsh touched.
Had the ground been shallow enough TO use nets,
the hnrbor might have been filed with fish"
The most Interesting part OF his work is that
which relates 10 the seal-caching, which he made
voyage 10 the ice TO witness. Next 10 cod fishing,
sealing IS the most Profitable occupation Of the New
fonndianters. The seals Are met with in great
numbers on the floating fields OF ice, to the north OF
Newfoundland, and vessels are sent out there every
spting, manned by come OF the hardest and most
energetic senmen in the world. The annexed ex.
tracts refer 20 this subject:
ia passing through thin skirt OF ice, Of the
men hooked Up youns seal with his glfr Its cries
were precisely like those Of young child in the ex
trcmity Of agony end distress, something between
shreks ard eonvulSive sobbings. IL thrilled ones
nerves at ars. but when found that their solo en-
poYme NJ when alons on the ice was uiicTin. sinIs
lar cries, and hist nearly tho cry express.
svo OF enjoyment OF defiance, OF pain and fear,
became more TecOnciled.h
"MaTch l3th-As sO1n as it was light this morn
ing all hands were overheard on the ice, and the
whole of the day employed IN slnushterins
young seals in al! directions and hauling their pei
to the vessel. The day clear and cold, with
strong northwest wind blowing, and occasionally
the vessel made good way through the &C. the men
following her, and clearing off the seals On each
side went along. The young seals lie dispersed
here and there on the ice, basking IN the sun, and
often sheltered by the rough blocks and piles Of ice,
covered with snow. Six or eight may sometimes
be seen within space OF twenty yards quaTe. The
men armed with eaf, and hauling rope Surg
their shoulders, dispense about the ice, and
whenever they find a seal, strike it heavy blow
the head, which either stuns the animal or kills 1t
Outright Having killed; or OF least stunned, oil
they see within short distance, they skin, or, as
they call u, "seup" them with a broad asp knife
called sculping- knife and niokng holes nlong
the edge OF each SIDE Of the skin they lag them
over another, passing the rope through the note Of
each peli, and laclng II through the side Loes IN
such a manner tha: when pulled tightit draws them
into a compact bundle. Fastening the gef IN this
bundle, they then put the rope over the shouIde',
= and haul 1t awsy over the ice TO the vessel"
Generally, the young ones did nor auefnp. to stir
as We approached them, a. quietly suffered them.
selves TO be X ceksd on the head with the gsT and
skinned on the spot. saw one poor wretch skin
ned, s:nlped, while yet alive ard The body with
ing in blood hher beng striped Of its pelt. The
man told me he had seen them swim away In that
state, and that II the first How did no, kill ihcm
they could not stop 10 give them second. How
is II steel ones mind TO look that which,
TO read OF, OF even TO think OF ailefWafds makes
one shuOorTl IN the buslle, nuffy, ana excitement
these things pass as q matter Of course, and II
Necessary; but they are most horrible and viii not
admit Of on attempt az pal Iition. As this morning
was left one TO take care Of the punt While tho
men were on The ice; the mass II dying eareasses
piled IN the boat around ne. zach wriihirg, gaHp
ing, md spouing blood into the air, nearly made
me sick. Seeking rsitf in action, drove tho sharp
poin; Of he gf into The br IN OF every ono in Which
could see fgn Of life. The vision u one poor
! wittch whiting re snow-whiie wooy body, with
its heed baihej in blood, through which IL vain
ly sndeovorng 10 see and breathe, really haunted
by dreams. Notwithstanding ell this, tho excite
nent Of being out in the punt, forcing way
through the narrow channels between the icepans
into the lakes e water whore old seals were sport
ing on every side, filing our boat with pels, en-
cheering so o. TO sweep over mile or two Of new
ground and return 10 The vessel by az fsrent way
from that we came, clearing the iee Of seals We
vent along and the hunting spirit which makes al
most every man animal q rTey aud De light in tho
produce OF his gun or his bow, kept me in the punt
tiil lstc hour In the afternoon.
Il A PORTRAIT OF JOHN TYLER