The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1890-02-01
CATCHING, GOLDFISH.
How an Extensive Marine Bust
ness is Carried On,
Experiences on One Of TIA
Boats Which Make Hauls.

u driven Into anu extending some two
inches above the rail, writes Edward
Virgins in the Lewiston (Me. Journal,
in an article describing trip he took
on Yankee vessel that started out to
catch Goldfish. These pegs are the ''pull
hobbies" for the lines to run against.
i A small cleat is attached to the bull
vark to which the line is made fast,
each man having two lines, one at each
hand. A small pen or '.kid" is built
against the side Of the vessel near each
mans fishing berth, into which the fish
are thrown when taken from the hook,
and larger one called the ''gury kid"
is built amidships for the reception of
the offal from the dressing down tables.
Two large butts are lashed to the bull
warks amidships, into which the cod
livers are thrown, and left to 'try out"
Of their own accord, the oil being
drawn off now and then as occasion re.
quires from spigot near the bottom of
the butt. Everyth thing is now ready and
Icommence fishing.
Two or three partly picked clans are
placed on each hook and the leads are
then thrown over the side and soon l
feel them thump on the bottom. The
lines are then drawn in about three feet
and made fast to the cleats. Now l
stand with ''nippers" on my hands and
arrayed in my barvil, or long oilcloth
apron, and grasping one line in each
hand saw them back and forth al
ternately against the pull hobbies, thus
striving to entics the fnny beauties to
take my bait.
Soon dispatch is seat from the bot
tom of the Atlantic up along my hempen
telegraph that some poor victim has
partaken of his las. meal, and, drop
ping the other line. 1 quickly haul in
hand over hand and soon have my first
fsh over the rail a1d into the kid.
Batting my hook once more I throw
the lead overheard and while it is run
uing down, 1 grasp the other line and
find this too has secured prize. Surely
this is getting exciting, and as pulled
in our second line, its dripping coils
formed graceful circles on the little
platform at my feet. forgot that I
was ever an invalid and our whole
thought was conferred on the one idea
of discovering whether 1 have one or
two cod-f fish at the end of that line. 1t
surely draws more steadily and with
less furry than did the first one, and as
tie lead shoots up through the spark
ing water discovered that both hooks
pre treasure laden, and with loud and
I3yful hurrah l lean over the rail.
The fish were all gathered from the
several kids aud thrown into the one
amidships which sdjoins the 'gurry
kid" The dressing table is then set
up against the side of latter. and, TAX
ing out several positions, we are ready
for action.
Our throater, Lowell By name, stands
facing the dressing kid and, reaching
down, seizes q fish with his left hand.
the thumb grasping the under jaw and
lifting him, PLACES the back of the fish's
neck across the edge of the kid, and
With o quick slash of his two-ed dyed,
aagger-shsped knife, cuts a deep and
wide cash across the throat A deft
movement Of the knife then removes
the tongue, which is thrown into tub
near by. He then rips the fish down
far enough to expose the entrails and
quickly Tipping out the liver slides the
fish across the table to the header, who
stands ready upon the opposite side.
The operation of heading is after this
manner: The header IS provided with
wooden m;ttens having a thumb AMI
forefnger. As the fish is slid across
the table by the thr,ater, the header
seizes it BY placing ne foreinger of the
left inpd firmly "A the fish 5 eye. and
the thumb under the lower jaw. Then,
with the forefnger of the right hand :
he grasps the principal intestine where
1t is joined to the body, and with a
ouick Jerk tears IL loose: then with q