The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1898-11-10
night in nets and weirs, the latter being

trap, from which they have not the in
telligence to extricate themselves. Often
many thousand bushels are thus secured
in single night. On our way in we had
noticed a weir, above which halt flag
was flying. Proceeding in that direction,
we soon found the owner, who assured us
he would furnish us with all the bait we
should wish, provided we were at the
Weir the following morning when he haul
ed the net; this interesting ceremony to
take place at o clock.
Assured of an abundant supply of bait,
we wandered back to the harbor. On the
way we came upon number of men col
lected about small building They were
looking at pair of half grown foxes con-
fined therein. One of them was of the
rare and valuable black variety. They
were constantly on the alert, looking at us
with distrust showing in their keen
bright eyes.
The feet, legs, and finally the body of
our worthy captain coming down the
stairs into our quarters on the following
morning brought me to a realizing sense
that was still in existence. A glance at
his beaming face assured me the weather
was favorable, that there was fair wind,
also that it was time TO get up.
Accusing the others, we were soon all
assembled on deck, and while two of the
party went for the herring, the remainder
assisted in heaving the anchor short and
getting up sails. Our friends who went
for the bait soon returned with a bushel
of fish, and after hasty breakfast, we
broke out the anchor and got under way
The wind proved to be but light har-
Dor breeze, and when we got outside Bass
Head light it entirely left us for a time,
but it soon sprang up again, although
very light. consequently it was 10 O clock
before We got on to the fishing ground.
We employed this time in shocking the
CLANS, and cutting the herring up into
sections about ! II inches long.
Arriving at the fishing grounds, each
selected his line, and also donned oil skins
and rubber boots, these being quite neces.
sarv, owing to the amount of water which
comes in on the heavy lines. BY the time
the schooner was hove to, some two miles
to windward of the islands, we were all
ready for business.
In bottom fishing a heavy cod line is
used. being some two hundred feet or
more in length On this is ganged two
large cod hooks, also 5-pound sinker
The bait is usually kept about two feet off
bottom, although it is we'll to occasionally
drop the sinker down; at other times the
fish bite best when the bait is ten feet
above bottom When the fish stop biting
it is well to change the position OF the
line. There are various ways OF handl-
ing the line Those new at the business
usually hold their line still, patiently
awaiting a bite Old hands stand back
two or three feet and saw the line in and
ont over the rail, thus keeping the bait
lively TINS method IS, 9l coulse, ,"I liiols
WORK. Inc upper nooh Is us u"liy paleeu
with nVe or SIX who're c''lns oil NC io"ei
are hooked seVeIai sections W nei Ing
Ilde anu WING were oV'ii /" y, az, 'i'.'
our balf had scarcely leaN"eo oo'' 90,
When we lmlheula.eiy oeS% an " i1ei 'iie
tu9Slh9 olles Oh ols iHil - &C. n oe10"'
An exclamation rom 1'f1"ln ~ az
tractea cur altehtioh' nc was nau'inS III
ms me mana over manu-, nle i"eG oe"iiiinS
WIN eAcltelnent. AioUilSl ~
OF disgust 'hls uille' lol NC va" l'sl lis
nsh. soon WE an oeS"H il"uilnS ~ o"N!i
one STRIVING 10 oe me hist ~ 20 d l S
over the lali. ms ols'lnetioh zen 10 'he
captain, and he had nue. lalse eou To
show tol ms tDplts'
Inc Dig hsh now cathe at reg ulaF ihoel
walls, each OF US being t4uaily successful.
lhey ranged IN weight RON Sn|PIeiS ol
two pounds TO the larger iish of l"lj!' lhe
cook Distinguishing himself ny Gd'ViilnS
cod OF that WeIght. inns ilsh was SO large
ana heaVy mat we were oo,lSee 10 use
a gan III getting 1t up over the ran we
caught mostly COD, although occasionally
hake and haddock We're taken II was
tine sport, but cold, nara WORK I"o
huhufea leet ol hedSS iho' i"'eh WIN d
5-pound slnker and thirty OF forty pounds
OF fish, does not come easily eSPeeiauy IN
a heavy current. Ihe BAIT Is also SOFT,
and after several bites II unsuccessful IN
hooking the hsh, the Enc must be taken
in and the hooks RELATED; ,,
After nshlng some TWO hours we dlllted
OIL the grounds INTO deeper water ana
heavier currents. we then stoou oaek
mile and again hove TO. Throwing over
cur lines, we Immediately began 1eeiing
those queer tugglng oltes. "A shouI 1or
assistance called attention TO the lao' ne
had hauled IN some ll1ty 1ee1 OF me ana
declared ne couIo gel III 10 more we
encouraged him' however ana he return
ed to his task manfully' ms fingers o!lstelI
ed and bleedlng' He ilnaliS So' MS hsii
to the surface ana then III over the rall.
He had PAIR, one on eaeH moor one
cod, the other haddocK' 1lelr coihoined
weight being thirty POUNDS.
We continued 1shlhe uhlll CLOCK,
then, as we wished ~ y, MAKE Dar l1aroof