PACIFIC COD FISHERIES 405 



fisheries, but had sailed around Cape Horn to find employment in the business 

 of the Occident. It is remarkable that one of those that crossed the Pacific, 

 sailing about 5,000 miles from home, was only 20 tons, a mere boat in which 

 to make such a voyage, and to return loaded " nearly decks to the water." 

 Following are the names and tonnage (in round numbers) of the fleet: Equity, 

 63 tons ; Flying Dart, 84 tons ; H. L. Ruggles, 75 tons ; J. D. Sanborn, 71 tons ; 

 Mary Cleveland, 91 tons ; Porpoise, 45 tons ; and Taccon, 20 tons. 



The Okhotsk Sea fleet all secured full fares and returned in safety. The fish 

 were small, averaging only about 3 pounds each when dry. But in those early 

 days they were in demand and sold for from 12 1 /> to 15 cents per pound, 

 a price that gave remunerative returns and the promise of future success for 

 the fishery. There was no lack of cod, and even with the method of fishing 

 with hand lines over the vessel's side then in vogue, no difficulty was experi- 

 enced in filling moderate-sized schooners in a reasonable time. 



The first vessel to visit Bering Sea for cod was the schooner Alert, 

 from San Francisco, in 1864. But little is known of this vessel and 

 her owner or owners, but it is recorded that the venture was a failure, 

 as only 9 tons of cod were secured. 



The regular Bering Sea fishery was inaugurated by the schooner 

 Tropic Bird, owned by the McCollam Fishing & Trading Co., of San 

 Francisco, in 1882. The schooner Isabel also visited the Bering Sea 

 banks a few weeks later than the Tropic Bird. Both made good 

 catches, and as a result the next year five vessels visited these banks. 



The schooner Minnie G. Atkins in 1867 discovered the Simeon- 

 ofsky Bank, or what is now known as the Shumagin Bank. It was 

 next visited by the schooner Shooting Star, formerly of Vinal Haven, 

 Fox Island, Me., in 1870, and next by the Scotland and Amanda 

 Ager. 13 



The first fleet of any size to fish around the Shumagin Islands was 

 in 1867 and consisted of three schooners, the Sanborn, Captain Morse ; 

 the Porpoise, Captain Turner; and the Sai^ah Louise , Captain Hol- 

 comb. Most of the fish were caught off the western side of Nagai 

 Island, on banks discovered the same season by these vessels. 



J. L. McDonald i4 has the following to say as to the influence of 

 the discoveries of these prolific banks in the Gulf of Alaska upon the 

 negotiations for the cession of Russian America to the United States : 



In January, 1866, the author, while attending the session of the legislature at 

 Olympia, the capital of Washington Territory, determined to make another 

 bold push for Alaska by soliciting the good offices of our Government for the 

 purpose of obtaining a permanent foothold and to open the prolific fishing 

 grounds in those regions to our ambitious fishermen. To this end we penned the 

 following memorial : 



" To His Excellency Andrew Johnson, 



"President of the United States: 

 " Your memorialists, the legislative assembly of Washington Territory, beg 

 leave to show that vast quantities of cod, halibut, and salmon of excellent 

 quality are found along the shores of Russian America. Your memorialists 

 respectfully request your Excellency to obtain such rights and privileges of the 

 Government of Russia as will enable our fishing .vessels to visit the harbors and 

 its possessions, to the end that fuel, water, and provisions may be obtained ; that 

 our sick and disabled fishermen may obtain sanitary assistance, together with 

 the privilege of taking and curing fish and repairing vessels in need of repairs. 

 Your memorialists further request that the Secretary of the Treasury be 

 instructed to forward to the collector of customs of this (Puget Sound) district, 

 such fishing license, abstract journals, and log books as will enable our hardy 

 fishermen to obtain the bounties now paid to the fishermen in the Atlantic 



13 The Cod Fishery of Alaska, by Tarleton II. Bean. The Fisheries and Fishery Indus- 

 tries of the United States, Pt. II, sec. 5, Vol. I, p. 213. Washington. 1887. 



14 Hidden Treasures, or Fisheries Around the Northwest Coast, by J. L. McDonald, p. 11. 



