304 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



way and stood in the direction of the sloop we had boarded, and which 

 at this time had worked off on the ground a little over a mile distant 

 from us. Soon after filling away we saw the boats out, setting the 

 seine, and the breeze being too light to gain much in the vessel, I started 

 off again with two of our men to buy what bait we needed if the seiners 

 succeeded in making a good catch. A fair-sized "bunch of fish" had 

 been surrounded, and our men helped to gather in the twine during the 

 "drying in" process. The "boss" of the gang thought he had from 

 15,000 to 20,000 fish in the net, and there was every prospect of secur- 

 ing the entire lot, when, just as the men were ready to "bail out" the 

 fish, a large hole was torn in the seine (due to the rottenness of the 

 twine, or the bite of a shark or dog-fish), and the bunkers went stream- 

 ing out through the " tear," leaving only a few — perhaps one-tenth of 

 the whole — which were hastily gathered in one corner of the bunt, and 

 scooped on board of the carry way boat. The skipper had consented to 

 supply us with bait, on condition that I should write a letter to the 

 owners of the factory explaining the purpose for which it was obtained.* 

 The failure to get this school was as much a disappointment to us as to 

 the fishermen themselves, possibly even more so, for we were very anx- 

 ious to improve the favorable wind to run down the Sound, and also 

 felt some uncertainty about getting bait before night. 



However, another set was made by the crew of the sloop, but the 

 result added but little to the first catch, the whole amounting to only 

 2,200 fish, which we took on board and packed in ice. By this time it 

 was getting late in the afternoon, the fish had stopped schooling, the 

 sailing gang manifested a disposition to go in harbor, and a loaded 

 steamer, bound to Greenport, which we unsuccessfully tried to head off, 

 paying no attention to our signals, there seemed little probability of 

 getting the rest of our bait before night. But a sharp lookout was kept 

 for homeward-bound bunker steamers, and at 5 o'clock p. m. we were for- 

 tunate enough to meet with the William A. Wells, on her way to Green- 

 port with a cargo of menhaden. The captain, who knew the Josie 

 Beeves, and understood why she was there, very kindly stopped his boat 

 and sold us 2,000 fish at five dollars per thousand. He also took our mail. 



We then filled away and ran down the Sound with a brisk southerly 

 breeze, carrying all of our light sails. At 8.40 p. in. passed Little Gull 

 Eock and at 10.30 p. m. Montauk Point light bore SW. by W. about 5 



*This letter was written and addressed to Messrs. Fowler tfc Colburn, Guilford, Conn., 

 as follows: "Being in want of menhaden for bait wherewith to make a fishing trip to 

 the grounds lying inside of the Gulf Stream, in the interest of the United States Fish 

 Commission, wc have applied to the captain of the sloop 'Fanny,' who has kindly 

 consented to furnish us with a supply on condition that I shall write this letter of ex- 

 planation to you. I trust you will commend his action in this matter, since wo have 

 been prevented from obtaining bait for several days on account of the recent rough 

 weather, and because of the importance of this investigation, which might bo much 

 delayed, if not rendered abortive, should wc be unable to procure bait now." 



