The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-09-01
The Original ,IacEerelrllle.
Catching MAoISsrsI-NVherO 1t Is Done
and IIuw-ThO Process OF Curing.

Of 1867 barrels, Of the estimated
value OF 81, 000, 900 or more. A century
or so ago this industry, II such word
can properly be applied to anything in
the piscatOrinl line-yieldei in that
State 10000 barrels, worth $50, 000.
Cape Ann has long been prominent rs
Headquarters for this particular school
Of fishermen, and for ut least fifty years
this prominence has been maintained.
The old.iashioncd process of catching
mackcTel in seines or weirs and by troll
ling has given way under the march OF
progress, and now swift.sailing vessels
fully furnished with men, lines, hooks,
and bait do what Western men would
call land.ofEice business in seducing
tue toOthsomo mRckerel from his home
in the briny deep. These vessels have
u complement OF from ten to sixteen
men each, and start out from Cape Ann
about the middle of April, so ms to meet
the lsh when they first strike the coast
line. The work is done on the copart-
nership principle, and each man has his
appointed place on board, the locality
being determined by lot. Here he
keeps his tackle, and from this one spot
he invariably sends forth hiA enticing
invitations to the fnny tribe to meet
him alone, whether by moonlight or
daylight. Each fisherman uses from
two to four lines, according to his skill,
aud the fish are inveiglcd TO their fate
by gratuitous and discriminating Sys.
tenn OF trolling, whereby their tastes are
tickled into TINT anxiollsly inquiring
state which stops not to discuss the
points OF danger, but gulps down hook
and bait ut one fell swoop. A ceres
pendent OF the Boston Yrdveter, who
evidently looks at matters from the
professional standpoint, thus describes
the subsequent proceedings:
Tho fish are swiftly hauled aboard
and "struck" into the "wash barrel, /"
which stands littlet TO the left and rear
Of each man, with peculiar twStch,
which tears the hook from the weak
cartilage of the jaw Of tho fish, and re.
turns the line TO its proper position
among the thirty or forty hanging over
the side. The hooks arc small, and
their shanks surrounded with lend and
pewter, cast in n rude resemblance to
the body Of n minnow, finished and
polished to shine like silver. Several
small circular bits Of the white skin
from the belly OF a mackerel form n
bait very attractive, and so tough that
dozens Of fish may be caught without
renewing it. It may well be questioned
whether even the mtch.extolled plea.
sures Of Ay.ilshing can exceed in inter
est aud excitement tho keen enjoyment
Of sharp "spurt Of mncllerel, when
tho most skiliful fisher Gun use but two
lines, and these even are shortened to
less than couple Of fathums.
The cruise Of many OF these fishing
vessels lasts tillNovember, and includes
the Bay of ST. Lawrence, Prince Ed.
wards Island, the Madelines, Anticosti,
Gaspc, the Seven Islands, and the
northern coast OF Cape Breton and
Nova Scotia. returning in November,
at the latest, tho fish arc lNnded md
putin shape for market, which process
Is thus detailed by the correspondent
above referred to:
Mackcrel, unlike cod, ara split from
nose to tail, close to tho backbone, the
cut entering the hollow OF the body of
the fish. The "splitter" holds the
fish on its side with the mittencd LEFT
hand md makes one clean slice to each
maCkerel, guiding aud regulating the
yarying depth OF his cut with the
thumb. With the thin, small, round
pointed knife used, fifty fish per min.
ute arc often attained by q praeticed
md. The entrails and gills are re-
!. ID hnd the FISH thrown into wash.
nov. where they lie in sea water for
'aftets, until all blood is extracted,
'9me mourn ley arc packed, snlted
MT !, whi Iia, y. ~ II there is time III d
he mackerel arc large "na 'S aii !li' crew rev
work at messing then, " nj n,o S"n-
lists in removing the head, IA. :" = S'S i.sa
ng the fatter portions of the fsL rpm ON
.he black pellicle lining the walls Of L.
abdomen.
When "packed out" in port, each
mans catch, which is kept separate in
marked barrels, is weighed, sailed,
pncked, and inspected, aud branded as
either No. /, 9, 3, or "mess," rs the
case may be. No. 50 must measure
eleven inches from snout to hase OF tail;
No, 2s, twelve inches, and No. Is, thir.
teen inches but certain fairness must
accompany the required length in Is
and %. Mess mackerel aud Extra Is
are Of course all "culled " from No. ]
fish. Formerly the fairness OF this fish
was tested by drawing tho nail along
the inside of the ribs and bending the
fish little, when the white fat would
clcave something like n ripe peach, this
adding greatly to tho beauty OF the fish
and enhancing its value. All American
fish are now reamed, " or cut with u
tool with curved handle much like the
hilt OF q sword, with keen, semi.cir-
cular blade inserted 80 rs to cut about
tllree.eighths of M inch deep. Com
plants are sometimes made that the
cuts are made diagonally, and too near
the backbone, while the fat (?) portion
OF the fish is almost invisible to the
naked eye" There is no doubt, how.
ever, that the failure of many Canadian
and Nova Scotia fishermen to "ream "
their fish causes loss OF from two to
four dollars q barrel.
Mackerel are packed in whole, hall,
aud quarter barrels, and in exits "
holding one-cighth OF barrel, or
twenty-five pounds. II is said OF a
great fish dealer, now deceased, that he