A NIGHT WITH THE SEINE IN DUNEDIN HARBOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 665, 27 August 1864, Page 1

A NIGHT WITH THE SEINE IN DUNEDIN HARBOR.

Some little time ago, haviog some spare time on my hands, I made arrangements with some friends to accompany them on one of their regular fishing expeditions among the channels of the lower harbor, and for the purpose went down to their tent at the Port by the last boat from town. Found them all ready for a start ; but as it was not high water till after ten o'clock, we turned in for an hour or two's snooze, seine fishing being only carried on here about the time of low tide. Turned out again a little after midnight, and in a very short time were on the water. We were a party of four, in a fine light boat, well provided with a new seine net, nearly 50 fathoms in length, with all the necessary tackle.

The tide was fast ebbing, and the night was very dark. The various vessels in port, as we pull past them, loom large and indistinct. Our intention is to try first some of the channels in the middle ground — that large portion of the lower harbor to the south of the main channel. For this purpose we keep that channel till we are off "Pull-and-be d d Point," when we turn in to the labyrinth of little runs and channels between that euphoniously named point and the opposite shore. There m just light enough to see to steer by, and we pull boldly on^ though not without feeling the keel of the boat rubbing and scraping on the bottom now and then. After a little we arrive ' at a place where there seems more water, and we here make preparations for our first haul. For thig purpose oue of our party is landed, who takes in charge the end of a line which is attached to the net. Two of the others then pull the boat away from the shore, while the fourth looks after the net as it runs off the stern, where it has been nicely

coiled away on a broad flat board, placed for the purpose, so as to fall into the water smoothly. The lower aide of the net being loaded with small pieces of lead at short distances, and the top floated with corks, when it falls into the water it of course assumes a vertical position, and remains so until it touches the bottom with the lower edge. A semi-circular course is steered, so as to take in as much surface as the length of the net will allow, and when the net is all in the water the boat is pulled direct for the beach. All hands jump ashore, and commence hauling in on the lines attached to each end of the net, gradually closing both ends as they come in. The net is then drawn in with a slow, steady motion, hand over hand, care being taken that the top is not brought in before the bottom, or the reverse. As the space enclosed by the net becomes gradually narrowed, the fish commence retreating from the net, and were now to be seen in the gloom of the night flashing about in the water, some of them running themselves ashore in their endeavors to escape the advancing danger. We now had the satisfaction of seeing that our labors were so far to be crowned with some success, for as the net came in quite a crowd of fish came with it, composed of mullet, flounders, and cod with a few trevalhas. They were speedily gathered in a

basket and deposited in the bottom of the boat. The net has now to be " overhauled" and recoiled on the stern of the boat, to be ready for another haul.

As the tide is still running out, we determine on making another haul in the same channel; but we pull across, and work the net from the opposite shore, of course pulling the boat, &c, with the tide. This time we are not so successful, only netting some cod and half a dozen flounders, so we determine to make at once for the bottom of the cross channel, where there are some likely spots for mullet and flounders. The net is coiled away as before ; we all get aboard, and pull away down the channel. It is getting near daybreak, and already the opposite shores are becoming visible ; but we soon spin our way through Ihe water, and running the boat ashore ormhe beach prepare at once for another haul. It is always coldest just before daybreak, and it is no sinecure wading along the margin of the water with the shore line. But the net is soon all paid out, and the excitement of the coming catch makes us forget everything else. "We soon have the ends of the net ashore, and are steadily hauling in on the netitself, which this time comes in very light. But the tide is now turning, and the "'young flood" is always reckoned the best time for netting, for then the fish come in to shallow water to feed ; so we go at it once more, and this time with very fair success. It is quite light now, and we see the fish easily as they dash back and forward in the gradually lessening space. It is no use, however, the net is in too steady hands to give them the chance of a return to the deep water. And in they come, tumbling over and over each- other — flounders, cod, mullet, mullet, flounders, cod — a most judicious mixture. The net is very heavy this time, and the basket has to be filled again and again ere the fish are

all safe in the bottom of the boat. The net is again cleared and coiled away, and another sweep made up the channel ; and so on for another hour, every haul bringing a few more fish in.

Just here a rather startling episode occurred to disturb the even tenor of our night's proceedings. "When the net has been overhauled, in order that it may be easily coiled away on board again, it is necessary to slew the boat round so that the stern may be near the shore. At this part of the channel there are some very deep places, the bank falling away all at once into three or four fathom water. So 1 steep is it in some parts, that the stern of a boat may be aground, and yet from the bow no bottom could be struck with the longest oar in it. One of the party was in j the bow of the boat engaged in this parti of the duty, and had the boat's head out all righf, when, feeling the current taking her round again, he gave a thrust with his oar to keep her steady, expecting to feel the bottom as usual. But at that place there was about twenty feet of water, and of course down he went, oar and all, with a loud cry. Now, though tfii/ man had been several years of his life at sea, he could not swim a stroke, like a great many sailors thewrit^r has come across in his day. It ig singular so many good sailors should be poor

swimmers. Our friend, however, made the best of it, for he luckily kept hold of the oar ; and we had nothing to do but to run out the boat and fetch him ashore, little the worse for his early morning plunge ; and by keeping in constant motion for the remainder of the time we were engaged—he did not even catch cold. But the tide had by this time risen so much that work had begun to be very difficult, the water covering the flat. So after a haul in which not a single fish was brought ashore, the net was put on board, the boat was trimmed, some weed put on top of the fish, and we returned lo Port. Here several barrels were procured, and a rough clearing of the fish took place ; the flounders being all put together, then the cod, and a third cask held all the trevalhas, silver fish, &c. The total catch amounted to over three barrels, a few being kept to supply customers at the Port. The boat was then pulled alongside the Golden Age, into which the barrels were transferred and sent off to market.

It now remained for us to spread the net out to dry, and take the opportunity to repair any damage it might have sustained, as well as to clear away all weeds, sticks, and the like it might have picked up. The boat was then washed out clean, moored off, and we all retired to breakfast, pretty well tired out with our night's work, the writer finding his way to town in the course of the forenoon.

Pakeha.