ence of a
heavy sea for several days, and sometimes, after all, the fish have been
lost.

"I mind, not long ago," observed Uncle Reuben, "when we were shooting a
net to the southward, it was caught by the tide and carried away against
the rocks, where, besides the fish getting free, it was so torn and
mangled that it took us many a long winter's evening to put to rights.
And you have heard tell, Michael, that at another time, when we had got
well-nigh a thousand pounds' worth of fish within our seine, they took
it into their heads to make a dash together at one point, and, capsizing
it, leaped clear over the top, and the greater number of them got free.
And only two seasons ago, just as we thought we had got a fine haul, and
the seine was securely moored, a ground swell set in from the westward,
where a heavy gale was blowing, and the net was rolled over and over
till every fish had escaped, and the net was worth little or nothing.
So I say we have reason to be thankful when we get a successful catch
like that we have had to-day."

It was not, however, the only successful catch which Michael and his
companions made that season. Still, as his boat and net were but small,
his share was less than that of the rest of the company, and, after all,
his share was not more than sufficient for his expenses.

A considerable number of the company were now employed in curing or
bulking the late catch of pilchards. This was carried on in a circular
court called a cellar. The fish which had been piled up within it were
now laid out on raised slabs which ran round the court. First a layer
of salt was spread, then a layer of pilchards, and so on, layers of
pilchards and salt alternating, till a vast mound was raised. Here they
remained for about a month or more. Below the slabs were gutters, which
conveyed the brine and oil which oozed out of the mass into a large pit
in the centre of the court. From three to four hundredweight of salt
was used for each hogshead.

After they had remained in bulk for sufficient time the pilchards were
cleansed from the salt and closely packed in hogsheads, each of which
contains about 2,400 fish, and weighs about 476 pounds. The pressure to
which they are subjected forces the oil out through the open joints of
the cask.

The pilchards are now familiarly called "fair maids," from _fermade_, a
corruption of _fumado_ (the Spanish word for _smoked_), as originally
they were cured by smoking, a