350 WHALING AND FI8HINO. 



JSevertheless, I determined to try, as soon as 1 

 ahould have earned myself a little money, to sup- 

 port me in the attempt. How many months 

 would elapse ere this should be accomplished, and 

 wh ether for that long time my resolution would 

 hold out, I could not tell. Bui; this I determined 

 henceforth to look forward to, as the aim of my 

 life. 



On the third morning our crew returned on 

 board and we set sail for Boston. As we sailed 

 past the Cape, we met numbers of fishing vessels 

 returning to their port of discharge, laden with 

 mackerel. Smyra, who had made several trips 

 " mackereling," was loud in his praise of fishing, 

 and unceasing in his fish stories. 



" Have you never been fishing? " said he. " You 

 ought to go. It's great fun ; and besides, I believe 

 one can make more there than at coasting." 



I paid little attention at first to his remarks ; 

 but his continued laudation of fishing life at last 

 induced me to ask the captain if " mackerel catch 

 ing " was indeed a money-making business. He 

 owned that in good seasons there was money 

 made at it, but thought that steady wages were 

 much preferable. I considered on the matter. 

 Somehow, shortly, the old desire for novelty took 

 possession of me, and I determined that after com- 

 pleting the return trip to New York, I would 

 make trial of " mackereling." 



Our voyage to Boston and back to iew York 

 was notable for naught but its plentiful lack of 



