[7] WORK OF THE STEAMER FISH-HAWK. 61 



transporting eggs and young fish under tbe above conditions, we re- 

 tained half a million eggs and commenced the experiment at 6 j). m., 

 April 30. The temi)erature rose to 68° during the night and to 71° at 

 10 a. m., May 1, the water smelling badly and a large portion of the 

 eggs dying. The cones were thoroughly cleaned, dead eggs removed, 

 and the experiment continued. 



At 5 p. m. but few survived, and 330,000 dead ones were thrown over- 

 board. The remainder were found dead and thrown overboard at day- 

 light the following morning. 



At 5 a. m. on May 1 we got under way and steamed down Albemarle 

 Sound, through Croatan Sound, Roanoke Marshes, and down Pamlico 

 Sound, to Hatteras Inlet, where, at 7.20 p. m., we anchored for the night. 

 At 4.45 a. m. on May 2 got under way, with a pilot on board, and pro- 

 ceeded to sea by way of Hatteras Inlet. The swell on the bar was so 

 heavy that the pilot refused to take the vessel out, whereupon he was 

 discharged and the ship proceeded to sea without one. At 8 a. m. 

 passed Hatteras Light, Bodie's Island Light at meridian, and at .3.50 j). 

 m. Currituck. At 8.10 p. m. passed Gape Henry, and at 11.35 Wolf 

 Trap. At midnight a thick fog and mist prevailed. At 10.10 p. m. on 

 May 3 we anchored in Annapolis Roads. At 4.45 a. m. on May 4 got un- 

 der way, and at 10.10 a. m. arrived at Havre de Grace. At 11.40 made 

 fast to the coal wharf, and the crew were employed during the remain- 

 der of the day in coaling ship. At 10 a. m. on the 5th instant, having 

 finished coaling, we proceeded to our station off Bull Mountain, mouth 

 of North East River, where we anchored in 15 feet of water. 



The fisheries along the shore were visited, and preparations made for 

 hatching work. During the evening 182,000 shad eggs were taken. On 

 May G the wind was light and variable, and the weather rainy during 

 the night, clearing after daylight. Four hundred and sixty-two thousand 

 shad eggs were taken during the day. On May 7 every haul of the seines 

 at the various fishing shores was attended and gill boats visited during 

 the evening, but no eggs were taken. No ripe fish were found in the 

 seines, and those taken by gillers were penetrated and stripped by eels. 

 On the 8th 506,000 eggs were taken, and on the 9th 1,660,000. 



No payment had been made thus far for the privilege of taking eggs. 

 On the 9th instant a fisherman called on behalf of the gillers, and stated 

 that, at an informal meeting, they had decided to furnish the Commis- 

 sion with eggs, whether paid for it or not, but, as they were put to 

 some inconvenience and extra labor thereby, they requested him to see 

 if I could not procure them the usual compensation of twenty-live cents 

 for each spawning fish. 



Tickets having been received from the Commission, they were issued 

 from the 10th instant. 



On the 10th the breeze was moderate to brisk from the southward 

 and westward, making quite a heavy swell in the channel; 341,000 eggs 

 were procured during the day. On the 11th 913,000 were taken, and 



