OF THE FUR TRADE, &ce. IXxxix

buoy are faftened to the fide-line oppofite to each other, at about the dif.
tance of two fathoms: when the net is carefully thrown into the water,
- the flone finks it to the bottom, while the buoy keeps it at its full ex-
tent, and it is fecured in its fituation by a ftone at either end. The
nets are vifited every day, and taken out every other day to be cleaned
and dried. This is a very ready operation when the waters are not
frozen, but when the froft has fet in, and the ice has acquired its greateft
thicknefs, which is fometimes as much as five feet, holes are cut in it at
the diftance of thirty feet from each other, to the full length of the net ;
one of them is larger than the reft, being generally about four feet fquare,
and is called the bafon: by means of them, and poles of a propor-
tionable Iength, the nets are placed in and drawn out of the water.
The fetting of hooks and lines is fo fimple an employment as to render
a defcription unneceflary. The white fifh are the principal objet of
purfuit: they fpawn in the fall of the year, and, at about the feiting
in of the hard froft, crowd in fhoals to the fhallow water, when as
many as poffible are taken, in order that a portion of them may be laid by
in the froft to provide againft the {carcity of winter; as, during that feafon,
the fifh of every defcription decreafe in the lakes, if they do not altogether
difappear. Some have fuppofed that during this period they are flation-
ary, or affume an inattive ftate. If there fhould be any intervals of
warm weather during the fall, it is neceflary to fufpend the fifh by the
tail, though they are not fo good as thofe which are altogether preferved
by the froft. In this ftate they remain to the beginning of April, when

they have been found as fweet as when they were caught.*

t

* This fifhery requires the moft unremitting attention, as the voyaging Canadians are equally in-
dolent, extravagant, and improvident, when left to themfelves, and rival the favages in a negle& of

m Thus

the morrow,