BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 363 



2(1. Sterling's Island was tlie best gronnd. 3d. Over 2,000 were caught 

 in one day at five hauls. 4th. The market price was $6 per hundred, 

 oth. The average weight was 8 pounds, the largest 12 pounds. Gth. 

 They also caught suckers, yellow bass, and suusbitches (what we call 

 carp). 7th. Xonfe were caught after the canal and bridges were con- 

 structed to my knowledge. 8th. The first fishing was done by the Con- 

 necticut people. Father says that in 180G his father had a share in the 

 Sterling fishery; there were eleven shares, valued at $100 each. Says 

 his father was not much of a fisherman. Hoping these answers may be 

 of some benefit. 



I remain, very truly yours, 



ALYAH FASSETT. 



Hot Springs, Ark., March 24, 1881. 



My Dear Sir: Have not been well since the receipt of your letter, 

 which must be my apology for not answering' sooner. 



In attempting to answer the questions propounded by the United 

 States Commissioner of Fisheries, I must from necessity confine myself 

 to the shad fisheries within Wyoming Valley. 



1st. " Fix the number of fisheries and their location as far as is now 

 practicable." 



My memory carries me back to the fishery at Monocacy Island, the 

 one below the falls, near the mouth of Mill Creek. One at Plymouth (in 

 part a night fishery) one at or immediately below Xanticoke Falls. No 

 dam obstructed the shad at that point then. 



The fishery near Mill Creek was regarded as the main or most reliable 

 fishery, as it could be fished at stages of water when some of the others 

 could not, and much the largest number of shad were taken there, sweep- 

 ing as did from the foot of the falls, nearly the entire river to the bar — 

 drawing out upon the lands of late father, where it was my busiues 

 as a lad every evening after school, to be with horse and wagon to re- 

 ceive our share of shad. No unpleasant duty, for well do I remember 

 as they came sweeping" in to the beak, the net in rainbow form. The 

 corks indicating the i^osition where "Captain" Bennett (father of the 

 late John Bennett, esq., whom you will remember) would discharge his 

 men from the sea or large boat with the outer brail, and passing out and 

 along the net, on the discovery would shout, "Here's shad, boys; hold 

 down the lead line ; here's shad." True to the word, long before the 

 main body of the net was drawn up to the shore we youngsters would 

 take up the "Captain's" cry, as the large shad darted back and forth 

 between the incoming net and the shore. What think you, my dear 

 Sec, would not a return of such scenes start a shout from older heads? 



2d. "As to the money values or rental of the fisheries." 



Of this I have no data from which to form an opinion. As the fish- 

 eries were established by the first settlers, joining their limited means 

 with the land owners, forming a company there by common consent to 



