DAVIS STRAIT. 7 



diiriug ii couple of weeks, the ebief food in certain places. "The Norway haddock (Sebastes 

 Norvegkus) is found only in certain though pretty numerous grounds south of 80° north latitude. 

 The capeliu {Malloius villosus) has from times of old yielded the most juofitable fishery to the 

 Greeulanders, and may, in a dry state, in winter time, frequently be said to have constituted 

 the daily bread of the natives. They are shoveled on shore by means of small nets, by women 

 and children, and spread over the rocks to dry during four weeks of May and June, when they 

 crowd to the shores of inlets south of 70° north latitude to spawn. This fishery has now 

 considerably decreased, but may still be considered to yield one and a half million pounds 

 weight or more of uudried fish yearly." 



The best harbors for the fishermen resorting to these banks, in the regions now visited by 

 American vessels, are those of Holsteiuborg and Sukkertoppen. Both are good places of shelter. 

 Holsteiuborg, the only one visited by Mr. Scudder, is surrounded by the high mainland on three 

 sides, and is shut in on the outer side by several islands. It is thus completely protected from 

 rough water, and the only wind that can enter must come from the side toward the strait, from 

 which direction there are seldom any severe blows. The depth of water is ten to twenty-five 

 fathoms. Holsteiuborg and Sukkertoppen are ninety miles apart, and, as the best fishing was 

 found midway between them, there was a good opportunity for running into shelter whichever 

 way the wind might blow. On most of the trips that have been made it has been necessary to 

 make a harbor three, or even more, times a month, on account of severe southwest and northeast 

 winds, which, combined with the strong tides in such shallow water, soon produce a heavy sea. 



The best season for fishing on these Greenland Banks is during July and August, although 

 August is preferable to July. ' This is due to the character of the weather, temperature, etc., at 

 that time, as well as to the greater abundance of fish then on the passage to and from the banks. 

 Mr. Scudder found the temperature during July to vary from 30° F. to 49° F., and during August 

 from 38° F. to 52° F. The mean and maximum temperatures of the surface waters during these 

 months were 382° F. and 43^° F. The climate at this season is, therefore, very fiivorable for 

 work. The harbor of Holsteiuborg is usually open by the middle of May, and fishing might begin 

 by the first of June if vessels were stationed at this place ; but the ice coming down the east 

 coast of Greenland blocks up the more southern harbors, and interferes with the passage of 

 vessels north until at least the middle of June. Then, agaiu, winter begins to set in during the last 

 part of August, putting a stop to all operations until the next year. The only icebergs seen by 

 Mr. Scudder came from the south. 



The tidal currents are not regular, and near the edges of the banks are very complex. In tliis 

 locality the tide runs up the strait much longer and with greater velocity than in the other direc- 

 tion. In fact, some days there was no tidal current at all down the strait, but during the time 

 when this current should have been running the water remained slack for seven or eight hours j 

 also, instead of changing every six hours it would do so only twice a day. The greater velocity 

 of the tide running north compared with that running south is probably due to the existence of a 

 regular current on the east side of the strait running up the coast of Greenland. This strong 

 northern flow renders fishiug impossible for five or six hours at a time; but as the period of slack 

 is usually equally long, there need not be any great loss of time, as the fishermen can arrange to 

 sleep during the flow and fish during slack water. The nights arc light enough in this latitude in 

 July to permit of fishing being carried on at all hours during the twenty-four. The tides and 

 currents are not, however, as simple as the above account would seem to imply; often in changing 

 the position of the vessel only a few miles, an entirely difiereut combination of currents would 

 be met with. The tides running out of the many fiords along the coast of Greenland make 



