FRESH-HALIBUT FISHERY. 69 



ness and especially between vessels from the same firm is so sharp that skippers and men boili 

 dare all dangers rather than be outdone. Our men were soon ready, and we hoisted out our 

 dories, and, jumping into them, away the men pulled for their trawls. Abbott and Mathews had to 

 pull nearly at right angles to the sea and wind, and when they were about half way to their outer 

 buoy a sea cockled up, and, catching the dory on the broadside, nearly threw her bottom-up. All 

 that saved her was that both men jumped, and threw themselves on the weather gunwale. As it 

 was, the dory was almost filled with water, and oars, thwarts, and kid-boards were washed out of 

 her. It fortunately happened that there was another dory near enough to the scene of the acci- 

 dent for the men in her to notice the mishap and see the signals for help. The crew of this boat 

 pulled up to those who had so nearly capsized, picked up their oars for them and placed 

 them in a situation once more to battle with the elements. But for this timely aid they must 

 have drifted helplessly to leeward, and doubtless to death. After they got their dory bailed out 

 they started for their outer buoy again, reaching which they began to haul the trawl, but, 

 unluckily, it soon parted, and, as a result, they had a very hard pull to reach the vessel. All of 

 the dories were several times nearly filled by breaking waves, and, since the wind kept increasing 

 while they were out, it was certainly rough enough before they got aboard again. We had two 

 dories astern, riding on long painters, while we were waiting for the others to come on board, 

 and a sea hove one- of them across the other's bow, so that the weather one had a hole knocked 

 through her side. When this occurred the order was, " Hurry up, boys, and let's get the dories in 

 before they fill." This was successfully accomplished. We hauled four and a half trawls four- 

 teen skates and got about 2,500 pounds of halibut. The dories were all aboard at 11 a. in., by which 

 time it blew so hard that we had to pay out some more cable. After that we got our dinner and 

 then dressed the fish. At 5 p. m. the wind had increased to a heavy gale. We cleared the deck, 

 reefed the foresail and ridiugsail, and set the dories amidships before dark. When a gale is coming 

 on, the foresail is carefully reefed (though it is afterwards furled), so that it may be ready for any 

 emergency which may aiise, such as going adrift or having to cut the cable to escape collision 

 with a drifting vessel, which may drive down on one at anchor. The dories are moved amidships, 

 so that they may be less liable to injury from a sea breaking over the vessel's side. Since the 

 successful issue of the trip depends on keeping them whole, much care is taken of them. 



Tuesday, March 5, 1878. At 1 a. m. an "unwelcome visitor," in the shape of two or three 

 barrels of water the top of a comber came into the cabin. There was a general scramble to snatch 

 up the boots that lay on the floor, to keep them from being filled with water. Some of the men 

 were not quick enough, and their boots got wet, causing considerable growling, as a matter 

 of course. I said to the watch, "Haul that slide over when you see a bad one coming." Every- 

 thing was soon quiet again, and the men who were turned in all hauled the quilts over themselves 

 and rolled over and once more went to sleep, indifferent alike to the roar of the gale and the swish- 

 swash of the water on deck. At 5 a. m. the wind had moderated, so we turned out and hove in 

 the cable to a short scope. After breakfast which we always have at daylight or before we 

 began baiting up our trawls, but the wind, which was light at this time, increased so rapidly that 

 in less than half an hour it blew a gale and was raining and thick. We had to stick out cable 

 again, and thus our hopes of improving this day were utterly foiled. At noon it blew a heavy gale 

 SSW., but at 6 p. m. there was less wind, and it was veering to the westward. The weather was 

 still thick and raining. At 9 p. m. we hove in some cable. 



Wednesday, March G, 1878. There was a smart northerly bieeze this morning. The sky was 

 overcast and the scud was flying fast to leeward, as though it might blow hard again. We set 8 

 skates of trawl in the morning, but the weather looked so threatening that we did not attempt to 



