Obs. Forms: α. 7–8 yager, (yawger, yagger). β. 8 jagger, (jaggar, jagar). (a. Du. jager, abbreviation of haringjager, f. haring herring + jagen to chase, dog, pursue.] A sailing-vessel that followed a fishing fleet in order to bring the fish from the busses and to supply these with stores and provisions.
α. 1615. E. S., Brit. Buss, in Arb., Garner, III. 636. A Yager (which is a caravel or a merchant’s ship employed to seek out the said Herring Busses, and to buy of them their herrings upon the first packing).
1622. Malynes, Anc. Law-Merch., 242. Lading their ships twice or thrice before they come to Yarmouth, sending them away by the Merchants ships that send them victuals, barrels, and more salt and nets if they need any; which ships are called Yagers, that is to say Hunters or Doggerbotes, and these ships do carry them, and sell them in the East countries.
1733. P. Lindsay, Interest Scot., 196. Those who have Yagers to attend them, &c. continue fishing until their Yagers bring their second Fleet of Nets.
1762. Gentl. Mag., 339. The first caught herrings … arrived in Holland in a yagger.
β. 1751–66. Postlethwayt, Dict. Trade (ed. 3). Jaggers, or store ships, commonly provide them with everything that is necessary.
1753. Scots Mag., XV. Aug., 417/1. A jagger from the busses at Shetland arrived at London.
1773. Gentl. Mag., XLIII. 573. They were discovered by a jagar coming from Iceland with fish.
b. Comb.
1824. Heber, Jrnl. (1828), I. 236. The large pulwars with sails … reminded me of the Manks jagger-boats.
