[293] HISTORY OF THE MACKEREL FISHERY. 



It will lie busy times on our wharves next month, as there are upwards 

 of 300 sail of bayrnen that will probably arrive home during October, 

 and the work of culling, packing, coopering, &c, will call for quite a 

 large force of men. — (Cape Ann Advertiser, September 28, 1866.) 



1866. — The shore mackerel fleet. 



The shore fleet of mackerel catchers, numbering about '400 sail, have 

 been off the Cape the present week, the mackerel having struck this way. 

 On Saturday last there was pretty good fishing in Ipswich Bay, and some 

 of the vessels did well. There does not appear to be a large body of 

 mackerel otf shore, but they cruise in single schools, which is not so 

 favorable for a big catch. On Tuesday afternoon about 100 sail came 

 into our harbor and remained over night, leaving at daylight on Wed- 

 nesday morning. They report mackerel rather shy, but consider the 

 prospect good. — (Cape Ann Advertiser, October 5, 1866.) 



1866. — Success of the shore fleet. 



The shore mackereling fleet found very good fishing on Saturday, Sun- 

 day, and Monday, in Ipswich Bay, some of the vessels catching as high 

 as 40 and 50 wash-barrels of large fat mackerel. Monday night it com- 

 menced blowing heavily, and the larger portion of the fleet came into 

 our harbor, where they remained through Tuesday. — (Cape Ann Adver- 

 tiser, October 12, 1866.) 



1S66. — SUNDAY KEEPERS. 



About 100 sail of the mackerel fleet, designated as " Sabbath-keepers," 

 lay at anchor on Sunday evening on the verge of the outer harbor, 

 stretching across from Norman's Woe to the Point. At early dawn they 

 made sail and joined the remainder of the fleet off Bockport. — (Ibid.) 



1866. — High line of the fleet. 



The schooner " Waterfall,'- of Southport, Me., claims the flag for being 

 " high line" of the fishiifg fleet this season. Her fare since the 10th of 

 June last is 810 barrels of mackerel, about two-thirds of which are No. 

 l's. Whether or not any of the Cape Ann vessels will exceed this remains 

 to be proved. — (Cape Ann Advertiser, October 12, 1866.) 



A paragraph is going the rounds of the papers stating that schooner 

 "Lucy J. Warren," of Deer Isle, Me., is "high line" of the bay fleet this 

 season, having landed 846 barrels of mackerel since June 17. 



We happen to know of two vessels belonging to this port that have 

 done much better than that, viz, schooner "Electric Flash" has landed 

 923 barrels of mackerel in two trips to the bay, and the " Wildfire " has 

 landed 875 barrels. The " Electric Flash " consequently has the honor of 

 being "high line "of the bay fleet the present season. — (Cape Ann Ad- 

 vertiser, November 2, 1866.) 



