334 FISHING IN AMERICAN WATERS. 



and, N. Y. With the great rise and fall of the tides, and the 

 consequent swift currents, many eddies are thus formed, and 

 for hundreds of miles to the south of Newfoundland, and ex- 

 tending to the west end of Anticosti, the feeding-grounds for 

 food-fishes form a larger fishing area than any other in the 

 world. 



This meeting and mingling of the frosty Northern waters 

 with those more mild from the Gulf Stream are supposed to 

 form another attraction for fishes, and the bait-fishes are fol- 

 lowed thither by the food-fishes, and the latter by most of the 

 voracious monsters of the deep, and thus procreation and 

 depletion keep step with supply and demand. 



A voyage by schooner from the north shore of the Gulf, 

 and turning the west end of Anticosti while bound for Gaspe, 

 gave me some sights of whales in spouting groups which 

 would be worth a voyage from New York to those waters to 

 witness. Whales generally swim in pairs, unless they have 

 a calf, when that swims between them for protection ; but I 

 saw several groups at a time of more than three in each, all 

 spouting like politicians. Our tub of a schooner, which kept 

 " bidding and bobbing" like Mrs. Toodles at an auction, re- 

 minded me of the following couplet : 



" When to the wind we spread our sails, 



Along the pathless ocean strolling, 

 Crammed in a tub stock full of nails, 

 Like Regulus, we die by rolling." 



Having thus spent a few nights and days on the turbulent 

 Gulf of St. Lawrence, rising one bright morning unharmed in 

 our tub, which seemed cast to the whales, as they surrounded 

 us, we were elate with joy at the brilliant display which na- 

 ture afforded in the bright heavens, sparkling waves, whales 

 spouting in every direction, the light-house looming on the 

 Isle of Anticosti, and the appearance of numerous beautiful 

 birds swimming about our craft, which we learned were puf- 

 fins, a species of duck peculiar to the Gulf of St. Lawrence 

 near Anticosti. These birds are about the size of a mallard, 



