[67] MATERIALS FOR A HISTORY OF THE SWORD-FISHES. 355 
In 1874, according to Mr. Thompson, New Bedford had twelve ves 
sels in this fishery. In 1877 the estimates of total number of vessels 
made by different men varied between thirty and forty. 
To show how uncertain the continuance of vessels in this fishery may 
be I will refer to the annals of Gloucester. In 1876, one schooner, the 
“‘ Meteor”, was engaged; in 1877, the schooner “Champion”; in 1878, 
the schooner “ Northern Eagle”; while in 1879 and 1880 the field is 
abandoned by this port. ® 
54.—FINANCIAL PROFITS TO FISHERMEN. 
I have before me the record of a single schooner for the season of 
1878, from which it appears that in the season of four months eight trips 
were made, averaging about twelve days in continuance. One hundred 
and sixty-three fish were taken between June 7 and September 20, 
weighing, in the aggregate, in round numbers, about 47,000 pounds, 
dressed. These were sold at an average price of three cents per pound. 
The gross stock of the season would amount to about $1,300. From 
this must be deducted the expense of living, the interest on capital in- 
vested, and the wages of the cook and the boy. The remainder would 
probably not exceed eight or nine hundred dollars, and the profits have 
to be divided among the two or three men composing the crew and the 
owner of the vessel. It is not probable that many vessels stock as large 
a proportionate amount as did the “ Northern Eagle”. The success of 
one New Bedford vessel in the season of 1878 was spoken of as extraor- 
dinary, the return being $311 to each of the crew’s share. 
The price of Sword-fish is low, and the success of the voyage is 
always somewhat precarious. A few small vessels ‘with experienced 
‘ skippers apparently succeed in making a fair living, but that the profits 
are not great is clearly indicated by the fact that there is no great in- 
crease in the number of vessels engaged, and that so many are con- 
stantly undertaking and abandoning the swordfishery. 
55.—HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN SWORDFISHERY. 
There are few data upon which to found conjecture as to the time when 
the Sword-fish came to be regarded as sufficiently useful to be sought 
for by fishermen. One of the earliest records of its use for food is found 
in the Barnstable Patriot of June 30, 1841, in which it is stated that 
the fishermen of the island south of Cape Cod take a considerable num- 
ber of these fish every year by harpooning them, and that about two 
hundred pounds a year are pickled and salted at Martha’s Vineyard. 
Captain Atwood remembers seeing Sword-fish on the coast of Maine 
as early as 1826, although up to the time of his retirement from active 
participation in the fisheries, in 1867, no effort was made by the fisher- 
men north of Cape Cod to capture them. 
The fishery apparently sprang into existence and importance between 
