[15] OPERATIONS OF SCHOONER GRAMPUS. 715 



weather was exceedingly stormy and unfavorable, and % cod were un- 

 usually scarce on the inshore grounds. 



On December 8 I resumed command of the vessel, and on that after- 

 noon we sailed for Wood's Holl, where we arrived at 3.50 p. m. on the 

 following day, and began to transfer the live fish from the well to the 

 cars. On this occasion 297 fish were landed, of which 287 were cod. 



On December 11, at the request of Lieut. J. H. Weber, of the U. S. 

 Signal Service, we made an attempt to sweep the submarine cable be- 

 tween Martha's Vineyard and Naushou Island, which had been broken 

 a short time previously by the anchor of a coasting vessel. Lieutenant 

 Weber and his assistant were on board, but the attempt to grapple the 

 cable was a failure. The apparatus we had on board being too frail for 

 the purpose was broken by being caught on the rocky bottom. After 

 the failure of our attempt to get the cable, Lieutenant Weber and his 

 assistant were, at their request, lauded on Naushou Island. 



Mr. Atkins informed me that cod had been found in abundance about 

 No Man's Land, as also on the grounds westward of Vineyard Sound ; 

 and suggested that it would be desirable to make an attempt to fish* in 

 that locality. Accordingly, a supply of bait was obtained, and a pilot 

 familiar with those grounds was engaged to go with us. He belonged 

 at Vineyard Haven, and after landing Lieutenant Weber and his com- 

 panion we went over to the Haven, so that the pilot might get such 

 clothing as he needed for the trip. 



On the following morning we started for the fishing- grounds above 

 mentioned, with a gentle but increasing wind from ENE< to NE. By 

 the time, however, that we had reached the Vineyard light-ship the 

 wind was blowing fresh, and the weather was threatening. We there- 

 fore steered for Newport, where we arrived at 3.40 p. m. 



At 6.40 a. m., December 14, we got under way at Newport for the fish- 

 iug-grounds, the wind at that time being NW. by W., and the weather 

 generally clear. Outside of the harbor there was a heavy ground-swell, 

 and the wind rapidly increased in force. Before we reached the grounds 

 the wind was too heavy to carry on fishing operations ; we therefore 

 steered for Wood's Holl, where we arrived at 2.30 p. m. 



On December 15 we left Wood's Holl, and at 2.10 p. m. tried for cod 

 on Brown's Reef, to the westward of Vineyard Sound light-ship. No 

 fish of any kind were taken. The weather was then very threatening, 

 with indications of the near approach of a snow-storm. For this reason 

 we went back to Vineyard Sound, and, at midnight, anchored off Fal- 

 mouth. 



A heavy storm prevailed on December 16, but the weather cleared 

 on the following day. We left Falmouth at 6.25 a. m., December 17, and 

 at 9.20 p. m. on the same day arrived at Gloucester. 



After transferring the command of the vessel to the first mate, I went 

 on shore. The Grampus continued to fish off Cape Ann and in Ipswich 

 Bay whenever it was possible to get out of the harbor. The weather 



