P^ THE ICELANDIC HALIBUT FISHERY. ')r)l 



&c., besides more or less spare gear, to supply any loss that im. v oeciir 

 As a^ result a vessel is very much lumbered up, especially if' fish are 

 found abundant, and sood eatches of halibut for two or thi'-ee days in 

 sueeession generally fill all available space, making a "block"; and un- 

 less barrels, salt, and spare gear can be landed temporarilv, much val- 

 uable time must be lost while the crews are waiting foi" the newly 

 caught fish to "settle." ^ 



If arrangements could be made by the United States with the ooyeru- 

 ment of Denmark, whereby salt, barrels, gear, and eyen halibut fins (in 

 barrels;, could be lauded by our fishermen, temporarily, under bond, 

 great benefit would accrue to the salt halibut fishery, and New England 

 vessels would be able to pursue their voyages under far more lavomble 

 conditions than they otherwise might be permitted to enjoy 



In this connection, it is proper to remark that the captains of the three 

 , schooners that have been to Iceland agree in saying that they were 

 , treated by the officials on the island with the utmost courtesy and con- 

 sideration. So tar as possible, consistent witii a conscientious discharge 

 of their duty, these gentlemen did all that might be expecte.l to relieve 

 ^ our fishermen from any unnecessary annoyance or embarrassment that 

 ; otherwise might have attended a fishing voyage to a strange country. 

 I Ihe day after the arrival of the Alice M. Williams at Ise Fiord MaV 

 I 26, her crew was occupied in landing barrels (which were aftenvari' 

 I taken on board and filled with halibut fins), filling water, &c., and o.i 

 , the L/th she got under way and stood off to the fishing ground, which 

 j was not far from the harbor. ' " 



I On the 18th, the trawls were set, and 48 halibut were taken. This did 

 I not prove satisfactory, and the vessel worked along shore, and the follow- 

 j iiig day, acting m accordance with iuformatiou gained from the natives 

 ,; the hues were shot iu "Hague" Fiord. Poor results were obtained,' 

 and on the oOth the Williams stood off until she reached a depth of oO 

 lathoms. Thick weather came on, and, working inshore, the schooner 

 I anchored under the land on the 1st of June. The following day she -ot 

 1 under way, with a southerly wind, and ran to the northward about'oO 

 j miles, where the trawls were set and a catch of 28 halibut was made 

 < Ihe weather was more or less foggy most of the time until the 24th 

 ' but moderate enough to set and haul the gear. From the latter date 

 I until June 28 the weather was rough, with frequent heavy squalls, so 

 that the schooner ran in and remained iu harbor.* On the last-men- 

 tioned date she got under way and ran off on the bank, and fishing op- 

 erations were carried on during the last two days of the month. Duriuo- 

 j June, the trawl-lines were shot 27 times ; in July, 20 times; and only a 

 few sets were made in August. At first two sets were made each day, 

 If the weather permitted, but later it was found to be more profitable to 

 make but one s^nn^^wenty-four hours, and to shift the position every 



iflfj '"^'"^f °f *^^ i^S ^'P' ^y Captain R^^^^^I^'^^^l^^^^'^^^^^tho weather waa 

 '.fairly moderate June 25, and fishing was carried on June 28, 



