Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-09

season is In full blast from the coast of
Florida to Long Island sound, and "all
their toll.
II there ever was an industry which
can be compared to hunting for needle
in a haystack 1t is menhaden fishing: it
is "a striking example Of what skill,
knowledge and keen eyes will accomplish,
for the catcher Of the oil fish must pos
sess all three Of these attributes, else he
will not be successful
Every fishing vessel, steamer, gasoline
boat or sailing craft carries crows
nest. and there. fifty or sixty feet above
PICK out a school by the slight rifles
on the water. There is never any GER
tatnty as to the number Of fish that may
De In q school. for some of the largest
SCHOOLS swim deep with only a few near
the surface. while some Of the small
SCHOOLS are almost wholly near the sur
race. 1t Is almost as exciting a sport as
playing blind mans buff when one is the
blind man.
AS a general rule the captain and his
mate are the lookoutsmen as they usually
WORK on SHARES, as do the engineer and
MS assistant. The skipper generally
WORKS entlrely upon a commission basis
receiving 10 cents per 1OOO fish taken
while the others named receive few
cents Donus In addition to small wages
Dy TINS means OF operating the fish fac
tory owners are assured that their yes-
seis VIII Ill, always be busy and that the
CATCH Will De as great as possible
!; I:
From the crows nest" the skipper di-
iec.s inc course or the vessel. his COM
nanos Deing relayed by deckhand to
the pilot house, and in response to ..Star-
ooaro your wheel and Port YOUR
wheel" the course is steered.
When school OF fish has been sighted
the vessel Is run to within 500 to COO
yards and stopped. 1t is the cIanr Of
the bell in the engine room to signal the
vessel to stop that arouses the crew of
tWenty,odd darkies who constitute the
purse boat crew that their work il at
hand and they nimbly spring to their
stations.
First over the rail goes small yawl
IN which there is but one man, the
striker" and as he rows rapidIv To-
ward the far side OF the fish the darkiss
lower the purse boats from the davis
jump In, seize the oars and row to the
near side Of the fish, thus putting the
fish between the boats.
In the meantime the s.strikar,, 10.
carefully noted the direction in which
the fish are moving and he heads them
OF. turning them toward the purse boats
1t requires considerable knowle5ra ne
the habits of menhaden to drive Them
Sometimes the school declines tn he
driven and rushes past the STRIKER. IN
spite of his splashing with his oars
Again the school dives deep, changes its
course and escapes.
* *
As general rule, however, the ..strik-
err is successful. and as soon as he sees
the fish turn he shouts to the purseboats
and they separate. each boat paying out
net until the boats are 600 feet to 900 feet
apart with their net twenty feet to twen-
ty-five feet deep. Then the two boats
draw together until they have completed
q circle around the flsh.
Again comes q bit OF delicate work, for
although the ash may be encompassed
they are by no means caught and often
the fish get away by diving under the
net The moment the boats are together
the crew begins to haul the purse lines
which draw together the bottom edge OF
the net. just like q purse, and once the
net is pursed there Is no escape for the
fish.
Occasionally the fishermen win capture