710 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [10] 



determine to fish in shallower water the remainder of the trip, since it 

 was possible halibut might be caught there, and if we "got any they 

 would have a much better chance to live. 



The halibut we dressed had almost nothing in their stomachs. In 

 eight that were carefully examined we found only a few bones, and 

 pieces of fish that were wholly or partially digested. Among these I 

 recognized the head of a "hand-saw" fish {Alepidosaurus ferox). 



The wind blew a gale on the 1st and 2d of October, backing from 

 SSE. on the morning of the 1st to WNW. and W. on the evening of 

 the same day, blowing a smart gale, with a heavy cross-sea. On the 

 2d the wind veered from W. to NW. and blew a moderate gale, with a 

 sharp choppy sea and heavy tide rips. This being the first gale of any 

 magnitude to which the Grampus had been exposed, her movements 

 were noted with care and interest. During the heaviest of the gale she 

 lay to very steadily under a double-reefed foresail. She lay close to the 

 wind, varied little more than one-half point in the direction of her head, 

 and made comparatively little leeway. Later, the forestaysail, with the 

 bonnet out, was set with the reefed foresail. Under this sail she lay 

 steady and was very weatherly. In all cases she was remarkably dry 

 on deck, apparently had less pitching and sending motion than the 

 average vessel of her size, but her sideways motion was rather quick, 

 as it generally is in small craft, though she lurched far less heavily 

 than the ordinary fishing schooner. 



The weather was fine on October 3, with a moderate breeze, varying 

 from NW. to WSW. Between 7 and 8 a. m. two halibut trawls were 

 set in SO fathoms, latitude 42° 52' K, longitude 63° 04' W. No halibut 

 were caught. The total catch was as follows: 18 cusk, 8 hake, 9 cod, 

 7 spiny-backed dogfish (Squalus), 1 blue shark, and 2 small skates. 



This result, with our previous experience, led me to think it nearly 

 useless to remain longer on La Have Bank. I therefore determined to 

 work to the westward and be governed by circumstances as to whether 

 we tried on Brown's Bank or Seal Island Ground, or both. Scattering 

 halibut are sometimes found on these fishing grounds, and to visit them 

 offered the greatest probability of success in seeking fish in moderate 

 depths. 



Fine weather prevailed on October 4, with moderate to fresh breeze, 

 varying from SSW. to W. h S. At 11.40 a. in. sounded on Roseway 

 Bank, in 30 fathoms, sand and pinkish colored bryozoa; latitude 43° 

 10' N., longitude G4° 40' W. Hove to under mainsail and foresail and 

 put out hand-lines. Cod were abundant. In about one and one-half 

 hours we caught 50 or 00 cod and 4 haddock, all of which were imme- 

 diately put into the well. Those fish which had swallowed the hook in 

 biting generally had their gills wounded in getting the hook out. They 

 died in a short time, and about one-third of the whole number had to 

 be removed from the well. These were dressed and iced for halibut 

 bait. Almost nothing was found in the stomachs of the fish that were 

 dressed, and their generative organs were very little developed. 



