MAINE: MACHIAS DISTRICT. 27 



readiness for the seasoii of 1881. This will doubtless throw new Hie into the fishery, and, if the 

 lierriug are as plenty as the residents claim, it seems destined to assume important proportions. 



The shore fishing is confined largely to the capture of lobsters, which are sold to the cannery 

 near the village and to the Portland and Boston smacks. Many of the fanners of the region devote 

 part of their time between the first of April and the middle of August to Mistering, aud other 

 persons depend wholly upon it for a livelihood dining these mouths. Lobsters are very abundant, 

 aud the catch is often large, some of the more industrious fishermen making $200 or even $300 

 during this short season. 



Aside from lobster fishing, the boat-fisheries of the town are of little importance, aud we learn 

 of but 10 men who give auy considerable portion of their time to the work. These go to the inshore 

 grounds in large boats at intervals between May and November. A few others fish for home 

 supply, and fully forty of the lobster fishermen of Millbridge and Steubeu fish occasionally with 

 hand-lines after the lobster season is over. 



CHEEBYFIELD. Cherry-field is an inland town of 1,700 inhabitants, lying to the north of 

 Millbridge and Steuben, ou the Narraguagus Eiver, with extensive lumbering interests. It is fully 

 10 miles from the fishing grounds and has uo commercial fisheries, though a few people fish occa- 

 sionally for pleasure during the summer months. 



STEUBEN; GENERAL STATEMENTS. Steubeu is a towu of 1,000 inhabitants, lying between 

 Millbridge and Gouldsboro'. Its southern shore is formed by two long and narrow peninsulas, which 

 are nearly surrounded by the waters of Pigeon Hill, Dyer's, and Gouldsboro' Bays. Several small 

 outlying islands also belong to the town. There are no villages of note, the houses being grouped 

 together in little settlements along the country roads and about the numerous coves. The people 

 are chiefly engaged in farming and the coasting trade, while a few find employment iu the small 

 tide-mills of the region. 



THE HERRING FISHERY OFF BoiSBXTBERT ISLAND. As a fishing town Steubeu is of little 

 importance, though the ledges in the vicinity of the island are uoted as an important spawning 

 ground for the herring; and weirs were built for their capture as early as 1850 by Lubec fishermen, 

 who came to Boisbubert Island to engage in the capture of the herring, which they either smoked 

 or pressed for their oil. This business reached its height between 1858 and 18G2, and has since 

 gradually declined until during the present season (1880) there were but two weirs fished within the 

 limits of the town. These caught 350 hogsheads of herring and 150 barrels of mackerel, half of the 

 former being turned out for want of a market. No herring have been smoked since 187!*. The 

 herring netting at Boisbubert begins about August 1, when the large fish "strike in" for the 

 purpose of spawning. The first vessel that fished on these spawning grounds came from Deer Isle 

 about 1808, and in 1874 there were twenty-eight to thirty small ones fishing in the region, some of 

 them making two trips. In 1880 eight sail visited the locality, catching a total of 700 to !M)U 

 barrels of herring, which they sold in Boston and Portland and Booth Bay. 



OTHEK FISHERIES. The lobster fisheries are quite important, as the species is abundant about 

 the southern headlands and among the outer islands. Eighty men from Millbridge and Steubeu 

 engage in this fishery from April to August, selling their catch largely to the canneries at Mill- 

 bridge and Prospect Harbor. Over half of these fishermen live in Steuben. The line-fisheries 

 for cod, haddock, and hake are of little importance, a few of the lobster fishermen going out 

 occasionally to supply the local demand, though the greater part of the fish consumed in the 

 district are brought from the town of Gouldsboro.' 



