REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [300] 



fleet of 250 sail or more bad gathered on the fishing-ground ; the wind 

 blew a smart breeze from the southwest, and the mackerel, which were 

 near or at the surface, were moving northeastwardly in the direction of 

 Cape North. The fishermen, feeling that it was their last chance of the 

 season to obtain any fish, made every possible effort to improve the op- 

 portunity, and the scene soon became wild and exciting in the extreme. 

 The vessels crowded closely in masses wherever the fish were biting- 

 best, the eagerness of the fishermen rendering them in many instances 

 reckless to a fault ; booms and bowsprits were carried away ; sails were 

 torn ; boats smashed up ; and in some cases the broadsides of vessels 

 were crushed in, leaving them almost in a sinking condition off a rock- 

 bound and dangerous coast many miles from any safe harbor. Though 

 the mackerel bit very eagerly while alongside the vessel it was impossi- 

 ble to detain them in their onward course for any length of time. The 

 consequence of this was that the vessels were in constant motion, shift- 

 ing continually to leeward in the direction which the fish were going. 

 Most of the vessels obtained good catches, and we succeeded in taking 

 about 50 wash-barrels during the day. That night a considerable por- 

 tion of the fleet passed around Cape Breton, but, owing to the strong 

 winds which prevailed for several days thereafter, no reasonable oppor- 

 tunity was offered for pursuing the mackerel any farther, and the vessels 

 were obliged to seek shelter in Sydney Harbor, the season by this time 

 becoming so far advanced that there was no reasonable prospect of any 

 more mackerel for the year ; therefore, as soon as the state of the weather 

 permitted, most of the vessels started for home. We arrived in Glou- 

 cester early in November with a fare of 375 barrels. 



18GS. — The spring mackerel fishery. 



The southern mackerel fishery will be extensively prosecuted the pres- 

 ent season. Some of the fleet have already commenced to fit away, 

 and by the latter part of the month there will be quite a large fleet in 

 readiness to start — (Cape Ann Advertiser, April 4, 1S08.) 



The southern mackerel fleet have about all sailed. There are from 

 40 to 50 vessels in the business this season — a much larger number 

 than have ever prosecuted it before. — (Cape Ann Advertiser, May 

 S,.L868.) 



The prospect of a successful catch of mackerel by the southern fleet 

 is quite encouraging. One vessel arrived at New York on Friday, after 

 two days' absence, with 10,000 mackerel in number ; another had taken 

 50 barrels in a week's cruise. — (Cape Ann Advertiser, May 22, 1808.) 



The fishermen are having a lively time of it in Barnstable Bay. On 

 Monday 5,500 mackerel were taken, which were shipped to Boston. 



Three hundred barrels of mackerel passed over the Cape Cod Bail- 

 road, Tnesda3 T and Wednesday of last week, for New York and Boston, 

 caught by the Cape fishermen. — (('ape Ann Advertiser, May 22, 1868.) 



