[259] HISTORY OF THE MACKEREL FISHERY. 349 



1855. — Spring fishing in barnstable bay. 



For a week past our bay has been enlivened with the presence of 

 quite a fleet of vessels and boats, engaged in taking mackerel. They 

 are quite abundant, and the most encouraging fares are realized. Yes- 

 terday a fleet of nearly two hundred sail was in sight from our ofiice, 

 and we learn that most of the crews have averaged some thirty barrels 

 per day for some days past. Persons in boats have, in many instances, 

 taken several barrels, and last week Capt. Ainsley Howes, of Dennis, 

 took seven barrels in a single day. Those are lucky times for our fisher- 

 men. — (Barnstable Patriot, May 20, 1855.) 



1855. — Reported abundance of mackerel south. 



The Newburyport Herald learns from one of the crew of the schooner 

 " Flying Cloud," who arrived home by land on Friday, that all the 

 vessels were rapidly filling up, and that the catch of mackerel out 

 south, this year, will be greater than for many years past. He reports 

 the mackerel to be of large size and of good quality, the coves and har- 

 bors being literally swarming with them. — (Gloucester Telegraph, June 



6, 1853.) 



1855. — First arrival from the south. 



The schooner " Leader" arrived at Newburyport on Saturday. The 

 Herald says that this is the first of the fishing vessels arrived from the 

 southern coast. The fleet are reported as doing a fair business. The 

 "Leader" packed out 104 barrels. Only $G per barrel offered for the 

 catch. — (Gloucester Telegraph, June 13, 1855.) 

 1855. — Only moderate fares obtained by the southern fleet. 



The Newburyport fleet of southern fishermen are fast arriving home 

 with moderate fares, and, at the present prices of mackerel, making but 

 small profits. Several of them by falling in with fish off Cape Cod, on 

 their way home, were able to add something to voyages that otherwise 

 would not have paid. — (Gloucester Telegraph, June 27, 1855.) 



1855. — Arrivals from the bay — unprofitable trips. 



Several vessels have arrived within a few days from the Bay of Saint 

 Lawrence with tolerable trips of mackerel, so far as quantity is con- 

 cerned, but the quality is poor, and the price is so low that hardly one 

 of them will pay their expenses. This, however, is better than last sear 

 son, when many of the vessels came home with only from 15 to 40 bar- 

 rels each. — (Gloucester Telegraph, August 1, 1855.) 



The jSTewburyport Herald states that the fishermen of that port are 

 fast arriving from the Bay of Saint Lawrence with about average fares, 

 and report the fleet not to be doing more than that. If prices keep up 

 they will barely make a living business, and if they decline the fisher- 

 men will come out at the close of the season where they have often been 

 of late years, without enough, take the fleet together, to square their 

 bills. — (Gloucester Telegraph, October 3, 1855.) 



