BLUE-FISHIKG. 301 



which congregate over them and pounce down upon 

 the small fish that they drive to the surface were 

 nowhere collected together, but were darting about, 

 screaming with their discordant cries from one part 

 of the heavens to the other. We had brought a 

 quantity of moss-bunkers with us to meet the ne- 

 cessity of chumming in case nothing was to be done 

 trolling, and so soon as it was apparent that the 

 trolling spoons were not going to do any great exe- 

 cution, both the Superintendent and the Commis- 

 sioner changed their rigs and mounted a slice of the 

 dead bait on a gang of hooks in place of the regula- 

 tion leaden squid. Hardly was the change effected 

 before both of the anglers were fast to a fish. It 

 took some time to land them, and they proved to be 

 the largest yet taken, one weighing a full twelve 

 pounds. They were quickly succeeded by others, 

 and it was apparent that either a school had been 

 struck or that this new rig was far superior to the 

 old, but the sport fell off again after some dozen or 

 more had been caught, and it was proposed to try 

 the chumming. 



We came to anchor in three fathoms water and 

 tied up the sails. We had taken the precaution of 

 leaving the small dingy in the bay, as we were sure 

 not to want it at sea. The swell had diminished 

 slightly under the influence of the moderate weath- 

 er, but still there was roll enough to make it un- 

 steady fishing. If a small vessel is uneasy in the 

 ocean when under-way it is ten times more so 

 when it is at anchor. Then it seems to add a 



