LABRADOR JOURNAL 317 



with my brother's assistance, for sometime past 

 been making preparations accordingly. And Mr. 

 Nepean, under Secretary of State to Lord Sydney, 

 having prevailed on me to take some of the con- 

 victs, who are under sentence of transportation 

 for seven years, I went to Newgate and pitched 

 upon Alexander Thompson, "William Litchfield, 

 John Keshan, and Thomas Connor; the first 

 twenty-two, the second seventeen, and the other 

 two sixteen years of age, and gave in their names 

 to ^Ir. Nepean. 



[On Friday, April 29, 1785, in the brigantine 

 Susan, J^Ioses Cheater master, and a ship's com- 

 pany of thirty-nine souls, Cartwright sailed from 

 Studland Bay for Newfoundland.] 



Friday, May 27, 1785. At ten this morning 

 [near the Newfoundland Coast] observing several 

 birds very busy about something in the water, 

 the small boat was hoisted out, and it proved to 

 be a large squid,' which measured seven feet, ex- 

 clusive of the head, whicli broke off in hoisting it 

 in; when gutted, the ])ody filled a pork barrel, 

 and the whole of it would have filled a tierce. Al- 

 though such of these fish as come near the land, 

 and are generally seen, seldom exceed six or eight 

 inches; yet I am told, that Hiey grow to a most 

 enormous size; even to that of a large whale. 

 They are also called the ink-fish, from emitting a 

 black liquor when pursued by other fish. They 

 are caught in greal numbers in the harbours of 

 Newfnniirllnnd; and multitudes run on shore at 



• ArcheteuthU, spociee? 



