BLUE-FISHING. 389 



ing load. Fortunately at this point of time dinner 

 was announced, and the alacrity with which they 

 laid down their lines, was only equalled by the enthu- 

 siasm with which they had used them, while the 

 amount of dinner they consumed visibly lightened 

 the vessel again. The meal was late, and before 

 it was despatched the tide had turned, and the fish 

 had left, for they rarely bite during more than one 

 tide. So the party devoted themselves to salting 

 down the prey which they had secured, and of which 

 there was much more than they could use. The 

 fish were opened, scaled, cleaned, and all the bones 

 were carefully removed, as both the scientific author- 

 ities agreed that the preserving of fish bones was 

 an unnecessary expenditure of room, labor and salt. 

 Then they were packed in a half-barrel, with a layer 

 of coarse salt between each layer of fish, nearly 

 filling the barrel. 



The last words of Mr. Green to me, as he was re- 

 tiring to his narrow berth that night after his day's 

 toil and triumph were: "I have to-day fixed a rig 

 to catch salt-water fish here, which I have explained 

 to the Commissioner, who will explain it to you, 

 and which I have told him will catch more fish 

 twice over than any other arrangement, and if you 

 would like to catch salmon-trout and will come tq 

 me, I will give you a rig for them that will take 

 more of them than any plan you are acquainted 

 with." 



Mr. Green falls to sleep quickly, and has a way 

 of making his slumber obvious to those who are 



