80 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



all hands, as we left the side, was : " Now, boys, you all know that the glass is low, and you must 

 make your own almanacs. If you see a squall coming, or find that it is breezing up, you'd better 

 strike for the vessel." Our trawl was to windward of the beam. We pulled for the outer buoy, 

 but before we got out to it a wild-looking snow squall was coming down on us like a race horse from 

 the WS W. I thought by the looks of it that it would " make things hum" when it struck, and said 

 to Phil. Merchant, my clorymate, " I think we'd better slew around and scatter for the vessel. We're 

 to windward, and are all right ourselves, but if the squall strikes as heavy as it looks, those fellows 

 to leeward can never pull up in the world, and the best thing we can do is to get aboard as soon 

 as we can and pay our dory down to them." Accordingly we kept off and pulled for the vessel, 

 but before we got far the squall was upon us. It blew smart for awhile, but there was not as 

 much wind and snow as I had expected there would be. Three of the dories reached the side just 

 after we did, but there were two others out, one which was dead to leeward and one to windward, 

 the crews of which held on. The trawl which the men in the lee dory was hauling parted just as the 

 squall struck, and they tried to pull up. At first they could not gain any, but after it lulled a 

 little they made out to reach the dory which we had paid down to them and hauled up by the buoy- 

 line. The dory which was to windward got about a skate and a half of trawl, but as it began to 

 blow hard again after a little while, the wind also veering westerly, the men cut the trawl and 

 came aboard. One of the dories got a hole knocked in her side alongside of the vessel, which we 

 repaired after they were all in. We bent the ridiugsail after all hands got aboard and hoisted it 

 up. At 8.30 a. in. wind W., blowing a smart breeze. One of the men is catching some kitty wake 

 gulls for a "pot pie." At 10 a. m. strong and very dense snow squalls. At 11 it was blowing 

 heavy ; we stuck out 100 fathoms more cable. At 1.45 p. m. it blew a gale W. by K, with a bad 

 sea runuiug. We stuck out some more cable; put all the gear below ; set the dories amidships; 

 reefed the foresail and ridingsail, and made all ready for a heavy gale. 



A sea-hen (great skua gull) came quite close to the vessel to-day, but, although 1 was anxious 

 to obtain so rare a bird, it blew so hard that it would have been only useless cruelty to shoot it, 

 for it would be impossible to get it if I succeeded in killing it. 



The wind gradually veered toward the NW., and at 5 p. m. was NW. by W., still blowing a 

 gale ; barometer 29.10. At 9 p. m. -wind W. by N. ; barometer 29.30. 



Tuesday, February 4, 1879. At 6.30 a. in. a fishing schooner passed across our bow under 

 double-reefed foresail, ridingsail, and jib, with both bonnets out. At this time the wind was W. 

 and not blowing so hard as it blew yesterday. Sky overcast; barometer 29.35. 



After breakfast we began to heave in cable. It was a slow, hard job, but we managed to get 

 100 fathoms of it in at 10 a. m. There were frequent snow and hail squalls and some breaking ,*cas 

 in the forenoon. After dinner the weather looked a little better and we went out and hauled our 

 gear. We lost one skate of trawl and got 2,000 pounds of halibut. We began to heave up at 3 

 p. m. I saw several vessels under way this afternoon. At 5 p. m. wind WSW.; sky overcast; 

 barometer 29.55. 



We got our anchor up at 6.30 p. m., set bank-sail and staysail, and stood to the N W. on the wind. 

 We dressed our fish and baited twelve skates of trawl. Our sick man was much better this after- 

 noon. He helped us heave up the anchor and baited his trawl. The wind was light in the evening 

 and in the last part of this p. m. nearly calm. 



Wednesday, February 5, 1879. Calm in the first part of this a. m., but at 2 o'clock it began to 

 breeze up, and at 6 a. m. there was a fresh northwest breeze and windy looking sky; barometer 

 29.85. We kept under way, working to the NW. all of the past night. At 7 a. in. we saw two 



