The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1900-10-18

by druggists everywhere. sent by mail
CARTER MEDICINE CO., New York.
Small El. Small Dose. Small Price
with its soft bottom and other favor
able conditions for the fish we sought.
For the benefit of those unfamiliar
with such things will say trawl is a
long cod line which has, at intervals of
about three feet, strong cod hooks
galiged on, an ordinary trawl carrying
about three thousand hooks. This long
line is neatly coiled in half barrel, or
kit, as it is called, each hook being bait
ed with a section of herring and care
fully slowed away in the center of the
tub in such manner that they will not
foul when paid out. Great skill is re-
quired to do this properly as the lines
often run out rapidly and the least
bungling would result in Snarl.
Everything being in order we began
to set the trawl. First small grapnel
with many fathoms of light line attach
ed was thrown over and paid out until
the buoy was reached. This being in
position the trawl was dropped straight
down to the bottom and held there by a
heavy sinker. The boat was then row.
ed slowly along and the trawl, with the
baited hooks attached, passed out over
the stern, when it sank and extended
along the bottom some forty fathoms
down. When the end was reached it
was buoyed out and anchored in SINH
lar manner. whereupon the whole thing
was left to fish by itself, while we rowed
away short distance and dropping
anchor commenced to fish with the
lines.
Night baking, while called hard work,
is exciting, and the experience well re-
pays one for the fatigue and exposure.
The fish taken are somewhat larger
than those caught in the daytime and
of a darker color. Fortune favored us
from the start. and we were soon taking
them i'll hand over hand as fast as we
could work the heavy lines, and for
time every one of rs was intent on
landing as many OF the big fish as he
could. But even the most exciting
work will weary one at last, and rs |
Strengthened up to get the kinks out of
my back | looked about Oh a scene
weird in the extreme. The men, dim
and luminous in the red rays of the
lantern, their arms bare and brown,
their highly colored wool shirts and
eager, excited faces, all formed most
interesting picture. We seldom took
single fish. Almost invariably they
came in pairs, unless a voracious shark
OF a dogfish helped itself to one on the
way up. AS the hake came tumbling in
over the rail | was struck with the
righteousness of their strange and
astonished expressions. They made no
very great struggles. their big eyes and
gaping mouths seeming to regard their
new surroundings with amazement
The light glistening on their gray sides
gave them an uncanny appearance, so
that If a voice of eXpostulation had
have been surprised. The men. how
for they yanked them in as fast as they
could.
After al hour of steady fishing, Peter
decided the trawl needed looking after,
so we took up the anchor and rowed to
the nearest buoy, and after securing
the anchor and line began taking in the
trawl. First number OF dogtsh came
into view, wriggling and twisting, try
ing to prod us with the sharp spines on
their backs. After them came the
hake, one after the other, their COM
bined weight settling the dory lower
and lower in the water, until its rail
was too near the surface to please a
tenderfoot. Occasionally a Goldfish or
silver hake would appear, but at least
nlne-tenths OF our catch We're hake,
and we estimated their combined weight
at 1,500 pounds. 1t was goodly fare
and loaded the big dory to the limit.
Slowly padding back to the sloop, with
small pitchforks we threw the fish into
hogsheads In her standing room; then,
as it was long past midnight, we slowed
ourselves away as best we could in the
limited quarters of the cuddy and slept
sounGly until morning.
At sunrise light breeze sprang up,
so we got under way and joined a fleet
of boats that had come out in the early
morning to try the mackerel; but the
weather promised to be bad and Peter
decided that the best place for us was
in the harbor. The shippers of the
other boats seemed Of the same opinion,
for when we started back they followed
and all the way it was a race to see who
should get there first. l do not as a
usual thing take much of an interest in
racing, but in that one | did, and when
we ran in by the point well in the lead
L could have flung my hat in the air in
my enthusiasm, while Peters honest
face beamed with pride. Drawing
alongside the wharf we pitched the fish
out and passed the morning dressing
and sailing them. There my work for
the day ended, but not so with the
others, for after few hours sleep
they were out again, and as sat in the
door of my tent watching the sunset
they called to me as they passed out of
the harbor, saying they would return at
midnight from the Matinicus shore with
a catch of herring. Then they must
overhaul the trawl, replace strained
gangings and broken hooks, rebait and
stow it in the tubs, and at daylight set
out again.
Such is the fisherman's life, full of
hard work and exposure, with no great
reward for it all, yet there is a certain
fascination about it which holds them
to it, and one will seldom find them de-
sorting it for other callings. Hart L.
Woodcock, in Shooting and Fishing.