Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1896-10-22
SARDI\E FISHING.
A Great Industry on the Pictur-
esque Shores of Brittany.
Old and Young Employed Catch
ing and Canning the Fish

q large population of men, women
and children, says the New York
fins.f- Nantes is the most important
centre for the preparation Of canned
sardines, though La Rochelle and sew
eral maritime towns are able to rival
the Brittany metropolis today.
The sarline manufacturers Of
Nantes own over 100 important fac
tories, scattered along the coast be-
tween Les Sab.es dOlonnc, ST. Gilles
aud Be lie isle. 1t is from the begin
ming OF June that sardines begin to
flock along the Brittany coast. Like.
cod they are season fish, and their IA
vorite abiding place is at great depths,
among marine grasses, two or three
miles from the shore, where they as
semble in large numbers The sar-
dine is fished in the same manner as
the cod excepting that the net Is
made with smaller openings. These
! Eets are termed "manets" in Brit
tany.
Every year thousands Of fishing
! smncks start ont sardlne fishing. The
vessels are Of light construction, and
only Fl for calm sen. If overtaken
! by sqnall they often have barely
time to seek refuge in some friendly
harbor The average length of these
crafts is from % to 80 feet. They are
fitted cut with a number Of large oars,
the use Of which is indispensable to
manage the boats on their return to
:ort. AS rule, the captains Of these
fishing boats are the owners as we'll,
but in the past ten years many fac
Of their own. Thes crew Of an avor-
age sardlne boat consists Of between
seven and ten men. only three Of
whom are professional sailors-the
captain, his mate, and one sailor boy.
make use Of the fishing time to fill up
the farmers dull season.
The start for the days fishing takes
place every morning; the boats leave
port at low tide aud sail to the spot
where the sardines have been signaled.
AS soon as the fish have been seen the
nets, many Of which are over 5000
feet long are thrown overheard.
These nets have all been iiackened
beforehand with smoke, so as not to
frighten the fish. At the same time
the fisherman scatter bait around
them; the fuvorlfe bait is called
:rogue," and is made OF fish roe.
Once the net Is filled, it is drawn into
the boat, emptied, and thrown out
again The sardine spoils very easll y
and the fishermen are in consequence
obliged to return early IN the evening
at high tide As soon as the boats
reach the docks, the "remnndeuses,
as the "sarlllne women" are termed,
beach, and mend them if necessary.
Meantime the captains sell their fish
either to fish merchants or to sarllne
factories direct Once the sales are
made, the ''sardIne women in the
! service of the factories flock to th.
harbor and clean the fish; the scene
then is most typical, and has Otter
8 been made subject for the painter
brush Conversation at once begin
between these sturdy fshwlves, and th'
fishermen, and the relative merits 0
the dav's catch are discussed and com
/ mented upon.
Once the boats are enptied and th'
fish cleaned, the fishermen 20 TO tn
neiphboring Cabaret" 10 settle th'
+, days pay; the first proceeding IS L
deduct from the day gross Incom
the several expenses. such as cost Q
!. bait, the DAYS food. etc. What re
!, mains is divided into certain nnn
a Dor OF portions, OF which tie captain
!, tas generally two, the mate one-lal
o or oae-quarter, and the res: o. III
crew what remains When the ti-hIui
q has been good the DAYS profits ar
considerable, blt on bad day -