Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-14

and dozen fathoms OF line are allowed to
run off the reef. The urchin and his
mother manage one rod between them, and
another is worked from the other side of
the boat. = IT, 81.
Presently a strong pull announces
mackeret on the hook. He fights gamely.
dashing under the boat and running out
on the beam at a great pace, making the
thin SILK line swish through the water. The
hook is soon rebaited and run out astern
again. and at the same moment the urchin
screams with delight, as he feels the pull
of his first sea fish. Another and another
follow in rapid succession. and presently
as the boat passes a sunken reef there
comes heavier drag followed by the ar
rival on board of a three-pound pollock.
BY this time we have got a good offing,
and We make for the marks of the an
chorage. These are the church tower in
line with a yellow house on the hillside to
the eastward. and single beech tree over
a certain black rock on the shore to the
west. The kilick Is heaved over the side
with mighty splash. and fetches bottom
In eight fathoms. The boat swings into po-
sition. and stout twisted traces and large
hooks are substituted for the light whiting
gear. Pilchards are cut up into three bats
each. the white belly slice supposed to be
the most taking and the two sides. The
heads and backbones go over the side for
ground-bait.
There is quiet for some time. as the tide
is still ebbing strongly. Presently it
siackens. and then slow and gentle drag
on my line is followed by sudden down.
ward swOOp that makes the reel cry out.
A stiff application Of the brake checks the
fish, and he yields sufficiently to allow
couple of fathoms of line to be got in.
Then another dash for liberty, and once
more he gives way to the steady strain
that bends the rod to the butt. Plunge
after plunge he tries. each feebler than the
last. but he Is still fighting fish when he
into his olive side and lifts him into the
boat-a fresh-run S-pounder. There are
much bigger pollock on the outer reefs,
but that is another story" Presently the
slack of Jims hand-line runs over the
side. and he is stuck in what he declares to
be big BUSTER after some pulling and
hauling he lands 9-pounder. The back of
this fish is deep coppery bronze. which
denotes that he has been among the kelp
weed of the reef for some time: These
copper-backed pollock are supposed to have
more dash in the first rush than the fresh
run fish.
Tho breeze has now died away, and the
water gently rising and falling with
slight ground swell. is of CLASSY smooth
ness. In its transparent depths we watch
the jelly-fsh swimming past us, each dome
slowly expanding and contracting In rhyth-
mical pulsations. By looking closely We
can see that each is accompanied by
shoal Of forty or fifty tiny pollack. two or
three inches in length. When all is quiet
these small fry disperse to little distance
in search of the n1orseis of pfankton on
which they live; but at any disturbance OF
the water they ptishs back and huddie for
protection beneath the friendly shelter Of
the family umbrella hfor thus in nature
everything is put to service
In the meantime. the urchin's rod, with
its fine tackle ard shall hooks, has ac-
counted for couple more mackerel and a
small pollock, besides a good many OF
"thaay chids" which, would perhaps be
welcome on our Saissea marts. but are here
regarded as a Misunderstanding nuisance.
When the tide begins to run too strongly
up. and we run I'm toward the shore. reef
down the lug and cIaaise slowly up the
coast. picking upamac<erei and small pol
lack as We run along, The mackerei are
mostly found in the deeper stretches, and
the pollock among "the pills." which is the
local name fof the small reefs with sandy
pools between. TO the, boys great pleasure
he captures aid cuckoo" (the golden
wrasse>. gorgeous with brilliant stripes OF
blue and scarlet Upon ground OF brightest
orange. A long Jnosed garfsh snaps the
bait, and after some wild gyrafions upon
the surface Of the waves Is hauled along
side. but tears himself free OF the nook and
Is off like lightning.
pilchard boats coming out for the nights
work. Most of them are large iuggers, out
there are a few fore-and-aft boafs mere
called "gaffers," and also Few twenty
footers, which work with small Meet OF
nets in the blight of the bay called the
they alone go out on Sunday nights. SO but
for them fresh pilchards land pilchard bait
must. for several reasons. be very. very |
fresh) would be unobtainable on Mondays
Evading the head ropes OF craD pots thar
beset the channel. we work up INTO the ,
harhor. still picking UP mackerei ana pol,
lack to the very pier head. Then the sail