[33] WORK OF STEAMEE ALBATROSS. 35 



erel fishing was mncli better than usual on the Block Island ground. 

 The first fish were taken on the 10th of June. Cod and striped bass 

 are scarce, but swordfish are very plentiful. Bluefish are also taken in 

 large numbers. Fishermen are making from seven to eight dollars a 

 day. 



We left Block Island at 3.30 p. m. and anchored at Is'ewport at 5.48 

 p. m. Several fishing schooners were cruising near Point Judith and 

 between there and Newport, but lione of them had boats out. We saw 

 no fish on the trip. 



It was our intention to leave port at daylight the following morning, 

 but were detained until 11.40 a. m. by thick rainy weather. It cleared 

 at that time, however, and we got under way and proceeded to sea. 

 We passed seven fishing steamers between Breuton's Reef light-ship and 

 Point Judith ; several of them had boats out, and menhaden seemed to 

 be plentiful. We saw at least a dozen schools. 



No fish were seen outside of the latter point, except two small schools 

 of tinker mackerel between Block Island and Cox's Ledge. At 2.45 p. 

 m. we cast the lead in 21 fathoms, coarse sand, on this ledge, ard put 

 over a couple of cod lines to try for fish. A cod was taken as soon 

 as the line reached bottom, and the order was then given to put the 

 lines out. About twenty were used by the officers and crew, very 

 few of whom were expert fishermen. Nevertheless, fish began to come 

 in quite rapidly, and after two hours' work we had taken 85 cod, the 

 largest weighing 25^ pounds, 13 hake, 3 pollock, 1 deep-sea perch,' and 

 4 sculpin. They were placed in a large dredging-tub as soon as caught 

 and a stream of water from the steam hose turned into it, keeping them 

 alive. After we stopped fishing, Mr. Benedict carefully examined the 

 catch for parasites, finding quite a large number. We caught 35 cod 

 on this ground the 23d of October, 1883, and made a careful search for 

 parasites, but failed to find even a single specimen, which would seem 

 to indicate that the season of the year had some influence on the pres- 

 ence of these pests. Before leaving the fishing-ground we put a small 

 beam-trawl over, intending to tow it rapidly through the water near the 

 bottom, in order to test the practicability of taking fish in that manner 

 Unfortunately for the success of our experiment, we veered too much 

 rope for the speed we were making, and the trawl took the bottom, 

 caught on some obstruction, and parted the dredge-rope. There were 

 several small schooners in the vicinity during the afternoon fishing for 

 swordfish. We saw one large fish and sent a boat aft€r it, but it dis- 

 appeared before they reached the spot where it was seen. 



At 5.15 p. m. we stood inshore and anchored in Tarpaulin Cove for 

 the night. We were under way again at 4.45 a. m. on the morning of 

 the 26th, arriving in Wood's Holl at 5.58 a. m. 



The machinery, including the motive power, dredging and sounding 

 engines, electric apparatus, &c., worked satisfactorily. The boilers 

 however, still gave us trouble. ' 



