The oars are 16 ft. long, and are
pulled double-banked. Such a boat will cost 90_l._ to 100_l._ fitted for
sea, of which sum the hull will represent rather more than half. These
vessels generally remain at sea for twelve hours, from about three to
four in the morning until the same time in the evening. Tunny, merluza
(a species of cod), and bream are the principal fish taken. The
first-named are caught by hook and line operated by means of poles
rigged out from the boat much in the same way, apparently, as we drail
for mackerel on the southwest coast. A filament of maize straw is used
for bait. The boat sails to a distance of about 90 miles off the land
and run back before the prevailing wind, until they are about nine
miles from the shore or until they lose the fish. When the fisherman
gets a bite the wind is spilled out of the sail so as to deaden the
boat's way. The fish is then got alongside, promptly gaffed, and got
on board. Tunny sells for about three halfpence a pound in Lequeito.
The season extends from June to November. Bream are taken in the
winter and spring, 9 to 12 miles off the coast. They are caught by
hook and line in two ways. The first is worth describing. A line 50
fathoms long has bent to it snoods with hooks attached, 16 in. apart.
Each man handles three lines. On reaching the fishing ground the line,
to the end of which a stone is attached, is gradually paid out until
soundings are taken; then another stone is attached and the operation
repeated. If a bite is felt the line is slacked away freely, and this
goes on until about 500 fathoms are overboard. When, by the lively and
continuous jerking of the line, the fisherman concludes that he has a
good number of fish on the hooks, he will haul aboard and then prepare
to shoot again.

The second method of taking the bream is by long lining; fifty of the
lines we have just described being bent together and duly anchored and
buoyed. Spaniards do not much care for this way of fishing, as it is
costly in bait and the gear is often lost in bad weather. Bream sells
at about 31/2d. a pound. Cod are taken during the first six months of
the year, about 9 miles off shore, by hand lines. Sold fresh the price
is about 6_d._ per lb. A small quantity is preserved in tins. Anchovy or
cuttlefish is the bait used; sometimes the two are placed on one hook.

A smaller description of boat, called traineras, is built especially
for taking sardine and anchovy, although in