TILEFISHING IN FIFTY FATHOMS 



439 



could see fish after fish come over the 

 side of the dory, some of them of good 

 size. As the men took in the trawl, the 

 dory sank lower and lower in the water, 

 and by the time the hauling was com- 

 pleted, it was loaded to the gunwales. 

 The fishermen then pulled away to the 

 "Grampus," where we were anxiously 

 awaiting our first glimpse of the tilefish. 

 As the dory came alongside, we were as- 

 tonished at the sight. The fish are bril- 

 liantly colored and had an iridescence 

 almost rainbow in effect. Only a few- 

 showed any sign of life and the majority 

 had the air bladder or portion of intes- 

 tine protruding from the mouth. This 

 is always likely to be the case with fishes 

 that are caught from considerable depth 

 (where pressure from the many fathoms 

 of water is great) and is caused by the 

 sudden release of external pressure as 

 they are brought rapidly to the surface. 



Immediately the scientists became 

 busy. Certain specimens were dissected 

 to show anatomy. A special study was 

 made of the anatomy of the air bladder 

 and samples of the gas in the air sac were 

 taken for future analysis. The majority 

 of the specimens were packed in ice but 

 some found their way to the cook's gal- 

 ley, and that night we enjoyed our first 

 meal of fresh tilefish. The flesh resem- 

 bles cod and is very palatable. 



As soon as Captain Hahn saw that 

 we were on tilefish grounds, he decided 

 to set a second trawl. This was set 

 three or four miles west of the first 

 catch. 



The following day was devoted to 

 fishing. Trawls were set in seventy 

 fathoms, and in fifty-five fathoms and 

 always with success. It was apparent 

 that the tilefish had not only reestab- 

 lished itself but was abundant over a 

 large area. The second night gave evi- 

 dence of thickening weather, and the sky 

 was overcast. About one o'clock as we 

 lay on deck, the distant throbbing of the 



engine of some steamer could be heard, 

 and soon the red and green sailing lights 

 coiild be ilistinguished, indicating that 

 she was headed directly for us. She 

 came up so rapidly that Captain Hahn 

 decided to "show her the torch." The 

 mate climbed fifteen or twenty feet up 

 into the rigging and lit a kerosene torch, 

 and, as soon as the light flashed into 

 the darkness, we noticed that the sound 



On the way to the cook's galley.- 

 colored and brilliantly iridescent - 

 as they look 



The fish are bright 

 - and taste as good 



of the engine ceased. The steamer, evi- 

 dently a tramp, was perhaps a half mile 

 distant. In a few minutes the engines 

 again began to vibrate, slowly the red 

 light disappeared, and we knew that she 

 had altered her course. I for one 

 breathed easier. 



The next morning the weather looked 

 threatening and Captain Hahn decided 

 to haul the trawl that had been set 



