58 GEOGRAPHICAL EEVIEW OF THE FISHERIES. 



country. Aside from tbese a few farmers go out occasionally, retaiuiug tbo bulk of tbeir catch 

 for tbeir own use. Tbere are seventeen small fishing vessels belonging in dishing; seven of these 

 are lobster smacks "running" to Boston and Portland, while the others are engaged in "dragging" 

 and "hooking" mackerel, netting herring, and trawling for cod, hake, and other species. 



FRIENDSHIP; GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF TILE TOWN AND ITS FISHERIES. The town of 

 Friendship, which includes a number of the adjoining islands, was formerly known as Meduncook. 

 It is located just west of Gushing at the southern extremity of the peninsula formed by the Medo- 

 mak and Saint George Rivers. It was first settled in 1775, and was incorporated as a town in 

 1807. In 1870 it bad a population of 800 scattered about tbe town or living in the small village 

 half a mile from the principal harbor. 



From the first many of the people of Friendship have been dependent upon the fisheries. They 

 have engaged extensively in the shore fisheries, and have had p. considerable number of small 

 vessels employed in the capture of the different species. Almost no large vessels have been owned 

 in the town, and few of the fleet have ever ventured beyond the Bay of Fuudy. 



MACKEREL DRAGGING. About 1808 the method of "dragging" for mackerel was iutioduced 

 into the region from Mouhegan Island, where it was employed by the Cape Cod fishermen as early 

 as 1S45. Within a few years of its first introduction nearly every vessel was provided with nets 

 for mackerel fishing. Some of them devoted their attention to this work during the entire season, 

 while others fished for cod till late in June, when the mackerel usually became abundant along 

 this portion of the coast. They then laid aside their trawls and turned their attention to the cap- 

 ture of mackerel, following the fish as far south as Cape Cod in the fall. Up to 1877 they met 

 with remarkable success, but from that date, owing partially to the smaller size of the fish and 

 thier comparative scarcity, many of them failed to pay expenses and were compelled to abandon 

 the work, and in 1870 only one was employed in this way. 



THE VESSEL-FISHERIES IN 1870. In 1879 there were thirty-four vessels owin-d in the town, 

 aggregating G88.SG tons, and valued at $22,375. These furnish employment to one hundred 

 and twenty-three men. The largest of the fleet measures but 45 tons, while the majority are 

 under 20 tons, many of them being old and comparatively worthless. Of the entire fleet five 

 vessels are engaged in the lobster-carrying trade, and one fishes on the Western Banks; the 

 remainder are engaged in the shore fisheries. A greater part of the fleet " fit out" fur the herring 

 fisheries in the vicinity of Wood Island in the fall, and some of the crews succeed in catching large 

 quantities, which they sell to the Portland and Booth Bay dealers. 



FISH CURING. A number of the Friendship farmers make a business of curing fish at a cer- 

 tain percentage of their value. The schooners usually take their fish directly to these persons and 

 have them cured, after which they are sent by vessels to Portland and Boston. Including those 

 salted and dried by the boat fishermen, fully 8,000 quintals were cured in Friendship during 1879. 



THE BOAT-FISHERIES. On account of the distance from the fishing grounds, the boat-fisher- 

 men have been obliged to build large sloop-rigged boats which arc provided with small cuddies. 

 These are known as lobster boats, and, although too small to "paper," they are sufficiently sea- 

 worthy to warrant the fishermen in venturing a considerable distance from the shore. In fact, 

 during pleasant weather, they ofren remain away nearly a week at a time, though they always 

 return to some convenient harbor at the approach of a storm. Most of the catch is "sold from 

 the knife" to the curers at New Harbor, Brown's Co\ - e, and other places. Much of the bait used by 

 these parties is taken from a weir owned by several of the local fishermen. 



The boats already described are admirably adapted to the winter lobster fisheries, and after 

 the fishing season is over, many of the men devote their time exclusively to the capture of ihis 



