FISHING IN THE HUDSON'S GORGE 373 



ways in which it is possible to capture specimens 

 at sea in addition to the usual nets and dredges. 



Before we return to examine the contents of our 

 deep sunken nets and trawls let us see what the 

 surface has to offer us as we float where, long ago, 

 great primitive eagles soared and looked down on 

 ancient landscapes. In relation to those days this 

 present year is more nearly 1,001,926. 



The larger surface life was abundant and schools 

 of tunnies passed now and then, looking from the 

 deck like flocks of violet torpedoes, while dolphins 

 came and inspected us, and went on their way 

 rocketing. We watched one which never failed to 

 leap high and fall back flat on his back with a re- 

 sounding slap. If it was play he was a confirmed 

 humorist, if unromantically merely to dislodge bar- 

 nacles or parasites from the skin of his back, he 

 must assuredly have been successful. The most 

 impressive visitors were schools of small whales or 

 blackfish, which rolled in a dignified, elephantine 

 manner through the waves and with huge sighs 

 sent up spouts of mist. 



Next to the general oceanographic machinery of 

 nets and dredges the apparatus most constantly in 

 use was the metal front porch or pulpit which 

 we let down over the bow close to the water. This 

 was seldom vacant during the day and when aqua- 

 tic loot was abundant two of the staff sometimes 

 worked in it at the same time, with long-handled 

 net and pail. The objects thus captured floating 

 over the sunken Hudson gorge varied from scien- 

 tifically rare to beautiful to merely comic. Christo- 



