20 G REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [8] 



lish fishermen suspend the halibut hy tlu'ir tails, believin- that the fish 

 will keep alive much lonocr in this condition than in any other manner. 

 The Concord was the last to leave Iceland, startin- on her homeward 

 passage Auiiust 31. She had a fine run as far as the Grand Bank, 

 which she reached in nine days, having ])assed within sight of Cape 

 Farewell on the way. From the Grand Bank home she encountered 

 strong westerly winds and a rough sea, but arrived at Gloucester on the 

 morning of September IS, having made the passage m a little over 



seventeen days. 



The Concord is D^.Oa tons register, carried tlio sanu' number of men 

 and boats that the Alice M. Williams had, and set from 4r,0 to GOO hooks 

 to a dory. No account was kept of the number of halibut taken, but 

 Captain' Dago estimates that he had about (5,000. 'The total weight 

 of flitches was 152,425 pounds, divided as follows: 142,150 pounds of 

 large, 8,975 pounds of small, and 1,300 pounds *'t"J'l«SSy " ^'^^^- ^^■ 

 sides, there were CO barrels of fins. Gross stock, $7,884.87. 



The David A. Story sailed for Iceland :\Ia.y 12, ran a straight course, 

 after ])assing Cai)e S])ear, Newfoundland (saw no ice) ; June (» mad(> 

 the land on the southern coast of Iceland, and three days later reachinl 

 Ise Fiord, where the vessel lay in harbor until June 12, the weather, in 

 the mean time, being stormy. Nothing was landed, however, and no 

 pilot was taken, but a general idea was obtained of the localities where 

 halibut might be fi)uml. Captain Byau fished chiefly in the vicinity of 

 North Cape, practically on the same ground where the other schooners 

 got their fares. No halibut were taken inside of the 3-mile limit, fish- 

 ing being carried on from 5 to 20 miles from the laml, in dei)ths varying 

 from 35 to 55 fathoms; the bottom rough, clean, and very " catchy." 

 This kind of bottom, which is most generally frequented by halibut, is 

 very hard on fishing gear, since the liiu\s cat(;h on the ro(;ks and are 

 parted and sometiujes lost. After fishing a week and taking about 

 1,500 halibut, he ran into Ise Fiord, where an arrangement was made, as 

 with the Alice M. AVilliams, foi- a permit to land spare n)aterial, fill 

 water, &c., for which 400 crowns were jiaid. The spare gear, empty bar- 

 rels, and 20 hogsheads of salt were put on shore, a duty of 10 crowns* 

 being paid on the salt, which at a later date was taken on board of the 

 vessel and used on lish. 



Captain Eyan also leports having seen the floe ice for 48 hours, bear- 

 ing about northwest from his vessel, and distant about li miles. He 

 saw several steamers in the floe engaged in catching seals. These were 

 probably a portion of the Dundee (Scotland) or the Newfoundland fleets. 

 He also mentions the French topsail schooners, which he says are full, 

 old-fashioned crafts, ranging from 80 to 125 t(ms ; while the English 

 smacks were from 00 to 100 tons. 



The following extracts from Ca]Hain Byan's log-book will give a good 



* A Danish crown equals about 27^ cents. 



