26 PACIFIC COD FISHERIES. 
days they were in demand and sold for from 124 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 experienced 
in filling moderate-sized schooners in a reasonable time. 
The first vessel to visit Bering Sea for cod was the schooner A/ert, 
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 /sabel also visited the Bering Sea 
banks a few weeks later than the Z’ropic Bird. Both made good 
catches, and as a result the next year five vessels visited these banks. 
The schooner A/innie 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.* 
The first fleet of any size to fish around the Shumagin Islands was 
in 1867 and consisted of three schooners, the Sanborn, Capt. Morse; 
the Porpoise, Capt. Turner; and the Sarah Louise, Capt. Holcomb. 
Most of the fish were caught off the western side of Nagai Island, on 
banks discovered the same season by these vessels. 
J. L. MceDonald® 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 
tries of the United States, pt. 11, sec. 5, vol. 1, p. 213. Washington, 1887. 
®’ Hidden Treasures, Or Fisheries Around the Northwest Coast, by J. L. McDonald, p. 11. 
