FKESH-HALIBUT FISHEEY. 79 



to-day. We saw the Laura Nelson under " bank sail" standing to the northward, but did not speak 

 her. We worked to windward all day until we got up to about 44 25' north latitude. At 5 p. m. 

 we passed astern of the Polar Wave, but as it was getting late in the afternoon I concluded not to 

 speak with her. The wind, which had been increasing since noon, and was now NW., blew a stiff 

 breeze at this time, as much as we could carry the three lower sails to, and it looked wild and 

 squally. The barometer was down to 29.25, which, with the appearance of the sky, made me ap- 

 prehensive of a considerable increase of wind, therefore I thought best to anchor in shoal water. We 

 anchored a berth NNE. of the Polar Wave, in 90 fathoms. We also saw two more vessels at anchor 

 just in sight to windward. The A. M. Williams spoke us this evening, and later she anchored a 

 berth NNE. from us. 



Saturday, February 1, 1879. This day begins with strong west-northwest wind; sky overcast 

 with dark heavy clouds; barometer at 6 a. m. on 29.15. The clouds were broken at noon, which 

 enabled me to get an observation of the sun ; latitude 44 25' N. By an afternoon "sight" I found 

 our longitude to be 52 58' W. I have a different chronometer this trip from that I had before, 

 and I think it is a better one. 



The wind blew steady and strong all day; not heavy, but still too much to send dories out. 

 There were some snow squalls in the forenoon, but at noon and during the afternoon the clouds 

 looked broken and fine, although the barometer still keeps low, as in the morning. The Gatherer 

 passed across our stern this afternoon, and later she anchored a berth to the westward of us. We 

 caught a halibut this afternoon on a " bull-tow."* Two of our men are on the sick list with very 

 bad colds, and as I have to be both nurse and doctor, I am busy most of the time. 



Sunday, February 2, 1879. The first part of this a. in. it was calm, but as the barometer was 

 falling instead of rising, we waited until daylight before we put our dories out. At daylight there 

 was a light southwest air and the weather looked clear and fine. Barometer 29.05. We set 8 skates 

 of trawl, baited with herring, in order to get some codfish, &c., for bait. Went to haul at 10.30 a. m. 

 The wind at this time was breezing up SSW., and it looked wild and threatening in the west and 

 northwest, and as the glass was so low I had some anxiety lest some of the dories would get caught 

 out in a squall. We got about 1,000 pounds of small halibut. About the time that the dories got 

 aboard the wind blew up smart, so we took them in on deck. Baited 12 skates of trawl at 1 p. m. 

 I saw the Gatherer's flag in the rigging for her dories to go aboard. It was blowing strong at that 

 time and looked very wild, but at 2.30 p. m. it was calm; such are some of the changes and un- 

 certainties of the winds and weather here. When the wind died away we hoisted our dories out and 

 set the 12 skates of trawl we had baited. The barometer has been down on 29.00 nearly all day. 



The latter part of this p. m. the sky was cloudless. Since it was calm, and a bright moon 

 shining, it justified the remark of one of the men, who asked, "What in thunder ails that old barom- 

 eter? A finer night than this never shone out of the heavens." There is a heavy ground-swell, 

 however, which tells quite plainly that a gale is blowing at a distance. 



Monday, February 3, 1879. We had a rain-squall before daylight. At 6 a. m. there was a brisk 

 breeze SW. by S. The weather to windward looked dirty, and the barometer was down to 28.90. 

 The sick man was quite comfortable in the morning. He said he felt " first rate." I think with care, 

 he will come out all right in a few days, but he has had a narrow escape from a fever. Of course, 

 on account of his sickness, I had to go in a dory myself this morning, and my parting injunction to 



* "Bull-tow" or "boulter" is the Newfoundland vernacular for trawl-line. Bull-tow with Amrricau fishermen 

 IB a short piece of trawl (15 or 20 hooks) set from the vessel, with one end allowed to swing free with the tide ; the 

 other made fast to an anchor. The bull- tow is lowered carefully down to prevent the hooks from fouling the buoy- 

 line. After it is on bottom the buoy-line is made fast somewhere on the after part of the vessel, and it is generally 

 allowed to remain out from two to four hours before it is hauled. 



