[279] HISTORY OF THE MACKEEEL FISHERY. 



1861. — A FALL SCHOOL ON THE NOVA SCOTIA COAST. 



We are pleased to hear that large quantities of mackerel have made 

 their appearance along our shore, and hundreds of barrels taken by 

 our fishermen. — Halifax Express. — (Cape Ann Advertiser,. September 

 20, 1861.) 



1861. — The shore fleet. — its success. — reported scarcity of 

 mackerel in the bay. 



Three hundred sail of fishermen in the harbor last Saturday ; the fleet 

 have done well of late, and report mackerel of good quality and quite 

 plenty. Advices from the bay report mackerel scarce. — (Cape Ann 

 Advertiser, October 11, 1861.) 



The shore fleet did well last Saturday; some of the vessels got 90 

 wash-barrels. Quite a number got 30 to 50 wash-barrels of large, fat 

 mackerel. Some 20 sail from the bay have arrived during the week, 

 and report hard luck. The mackerel season, take it all in all, has not 

 proved very profitable this year. — (Cape Ann Advertiser, October -25, 

 1861.) 



1861. — Close of the mackerel season. — advance in prices. 



The mackerel fishing business is closed for the season ; vessels are 

 hauling up. The catch this season has been 25 per cent, below that of 

 last year, and prices have ruled very low. Within a few weeks prices 

 have advanced. 



No. 1 mackerel, which were worth only $7 per barrel October 25, at 

 this date sold for $13. No. 2's, now selling for $9, brought only $5 in 

 October. — (Cape Ann Advertiser, November 23, 1861.) 



1861. — Reminiscences of capt. j. w. Collins. 



In the summer of 1861 medium-sized mackerel were very abundant 

 off the New England coast, and some of the hookers obtained a catch 

 of about 1,000 barrels or more, though the price was so extremely low, 

 owing to the distracted condition of the country at the beginning of the 

 war, that the fishermen obtained but little remuneration for their labor. 

 Large mackerel were exceedingly rare, however, and as a consequence of 

 much greater value than the smaller ones. In the Gulf of Saint Law- 

 rence, also, mackerel were fairly plentiful, and there being a greater 

 percentage of large fish, some of the vessels did much better, finan- 

 cially, than those which fished off our own shore. This was especially 

 the case with those which remained late in the bay, or made their home 

 passages in a leisurely manner, since, during November, the prices ad- 

 vanced very rapidly, so much so, indeed, that mackerel nearly doubled 

 in value in the short space of two or three weeks. On the 16th day of 

 August I left Eockport, for the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, in the schooner 

 "Sarah B. Harris." At first we fished about the Magdalen Islands 



