et asunder, and on the opposite edge are fastened
pieces of lead, about the same distance--the lead is intended to
keep the lower end of the seine close to the bottom of the river.
The width of the seine is adapted to the depth of the river, so
that the corks just appear on its surface, otherwise the lead would
draw the top of the seine under water, and the fish would escape
over the top. All this being understood and the seine and rowers in
the boat, they give one end of the seine to a party of men on the
shore, who are to hold it fast. Those in the boat then row off from
the shore, letting out the seine as they go; they advance in a
straight line towards the opposite shore, until they gain the
middle of the river, when they proceed down the stream, until the
net is all out of the boat except just sufficient to reach the
shore from whence they set out, to which they immediately proceed.
Here an equal number of men take hold of the net with those at the
other end, and both parties commence drawing it towards the shore.
As they draw, they advance towards each other, until they finally
meet, and now comes the most pleasing part of the business. It is
amusing enough to see what a spattering the fish make when they
find themselves completely foiled: they raise the water in a
perfect shower, and wet every one that stands within their reach. I
ought to have mentioned, that when the fish begin to draw near the
shore, one or two men step into the water, on each side of the net,
and hold it close to the bottom of the channel, otherwise the fish
would escape underneath. All this being accomplished, the fishermen
proceed to take out the fish in greater or less numbers, as they
are more or less fortunate. These fishermen make a wretched
appearance, they certainly bring up the rear of the human race.
They were scarcely covered with clothes, were mostly drunk, and had
the looks of the veriest sots on earth.

A Virginian born in 1792, Col. T. J. Randolph of Edgehill near
Charlottesville, was asked to search his earliest memories in order to
record 18th century fishing conditions. He wrote a letter in 1875 to
the newly-constituted Virginia fish commissioners describing an era
well-nigh incredible to today's Tidewater fishermen:

Shad were abundant in the Rivanna at my earliest recollection, say
prior to 1800. The