The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-01-27
From the Boston Journa
Labrador Cod Fishery

Vessels employed-How manned parations-
Capet,n-Fisiiag Nth the hook and TN e--Dress
ing and sailing the Cod.
MIR SLEEPER-'This business, the character OF
which is but little known to many of the intelligent,
readers of the Journal, is nevertheless carried on
TO considerable extent among New Englanders.
There are many vessels annually fitted out from the
Old Bay State, to pursue this laborous and uncer-
tain occupation on that coast They are generally
schooners of from fifty to one hundred and fifty tons
huFlhen-vessels which, having faithfully served
their owners, through the pers and vicssitudes of
many West India or coasting trips, thus in their
Old age forced to undergo the harships of fishing
voyage.
Manned by crew of some ten or fifteen stout
hshermen she generally starts for the fishing
about the first of June. Passing around Cape
Sable, she follows the low shore of Nova Scotia,
TIL she arrives at the Gulf of St lawrence, when
she crosses the Gulf, and, coasing along the high
cliffs of Newfoundland, passes the Straits of Bell
isle, and arrives the Labrador coast after about
ten days of Gains, and fogs and breeZes. Near the
coast of Newfoundland, many "bird islands" are
passed, which seem to be perfectly alive with sea-
fowls. Some vessels remain at the different harbors
In the Straits, but others, more adventurous, con-
time on TO the north, until arriving at the very
home of the Goldfish, they anchor in some secluded
harbor, and prepare for the business Of the season.
Outriggers are secured, tenders sung the
side, the sails all made fast, and the deck is
cleared.
Each vessel is supplied with as many as four or
| five boats including seine boat, jolly boat, and
| several whale boats. These last are used for the
| fishing, and are fitted by the sailors with masts,
etc. during the passage out. The first thing to be
done, after hosting out the boats, is to procure
good supply Of fresh bait to entice the inny victims
| from their waery home The capelin, which are
used for this purpose, are small but beautiful fish,
about the size OF smelt, and are found in immense
| numbers on the coast. Indeed, it is desire TO
least upon these delicate fish which attracts the
| voracous cod to those shores in such abundance.
| The capelin move about in immense shoals, and
large quantities of them may be gathered on the
! rocks at every ebb. A shoal is surrounded by the
aid of a small seine, and boat load is soon pro-
cured by the " bait gang" At daylight next morn
| ing the fishing boats, manned each with skipper
and a bowman. and provided with hooks, lines,
| bait and other necessary appurenances, not for
getting compass, biscuit, and jug Of water,
start their cruise. Arriving at spot which
presents the shippers experienced eye "a fishy''
appearance, the sails taken in, the grapnel let
90, the lines are cast over, and the fishing begun
The depth of water generally varies from ten TO
twenty fathoms. If the fishing is good the bait is
frequently seized b, fore it reaches the bottom, and
the fishermen, who take charge of two lines
| each, have much employment as they can al.
tend to for the next few hours, in hauling up lines
dsengaging the fish, and batting hooks. Sometimes
however. when the cod are playing near the surface
mode Of capture is used very similar to that EN-
poyed in mackerel catching. The hook is hurled
to the full length of short line by the sinewy arms
| of the boatmen, and is almost Immediately seized
on striking the water, by the jaws of the greedy
fish. A boat may be filed in tour five hours, il
the fishing is good, and then it returns the vessel
| where the cargo, numbering some twelve hundred
fish, is tossed on deck by means of pitchforks. AZ
| ter good days work The main deck is unfre.
quentiy filled to the gunwae with the lifeless bo-
dies of these unfortunate Inhabitants of the deep
Then comes the tug Of war. While the boats
are off their second cruise the dressing gang is
! actively employed in dressing and sailing the fish.
| Stationed around long table, with bare arms and
| bloody garments, aourisiing their sharp double
edged knives, they appear more like Tartarian ex-
| ecuoners, or Pluionlan butchers, Than the honest
| Intelligent Yankee seamen that they are. First in
order comes the "cut-lhroat' of the gang, who
| taking single fish from box at his side, makes n
cross-cut under the gls, nearly severing the heat
from the body, and then by a skiliful turn of hi
| knife makes an iuclsion from the head downwards
through half the length of the body. This done, h
shoves the fish 10 a strong listed Triton beside him
who, in a scientific manner, that be acquired
only by long and steady practice, finishes the gen
tie operation of decapitaflon Resting the neck up0
the sharp edge of the table by a.vigornus and pecu
4 liar wrench the head and all other useless parts ar
removed. Dropped into trough they conveye
back to their orig final element, while the liver
thrown into barrel, to await the process of benj
manufactured into oil, and the fish, what is lei
of it, passes into the hands of the splitter" VIII
5 has the hardest task of ala task which can b
b accomplished with IMMUNITY only by veteran i
b the art; gashed fingers and hands being tn
, nvariabie perquistes of Il beginner. By two q
three dexterous cuts he lays open the fish, and re
moves the back bone, and the fish is dressed
{ Rapidly finding its way into the hold by means
a trough, it is soon sailed down and hidden iror
: view by others which are continually descendin.
Five six thousand generally slowed ava
, thus, in the course of day.