FUESII IJAl.inUT KIB1IKUY. . 21 



other vessels which may be on the bank at the same time, and thus be able to dispose of the cargo 

 of fish at a higher price than could be realized if several vessels arrived together. The average 

 length of a run from the Grand Bank to Gloucester, a distance of 800 miles, is, in the winter, about 

 eight days, excepting under specially unfavorable circumstances. Some winters there is a constant 

 succession of heavy northerly and westerly gales, in which case a vessel will take a longer time to 

 make the run. On one occasion, in the winter of 1875, the schooners Howard, J. S. Presson,.and 

 William H. Foye, were from fifteen to seventeen days making the passage, and many others were 

 fully as long in getting home; one vessel, the schooner S. n. Putnam, of Beverly, engaged in the 

 fresh halibut fishery that winter, took forty-two days to complete her homeward passage. One of 

 the shortest runs home from the Grand Bank, which is on record, occupied five days only, although 

 the passage to the bank from Gloucester has been frequently made in a little over four days, the 

 prevalence of strong westerly winds in winter favoring an eastern run, but retarding a vessel bound 

 home from the bank. 



In summer, a few of the vessels carry two topmasts, and light sails to correspond. When there 

 is a leading wind all sail is crowded on, and there are few finer nautical scenes than that of a full- 

 rigged halibut schooner running for market in a brisk breeze. 



8. DISPOSITION OF THE CATCH. 



UNLOADING AND PACKING FOR SHIPMENT. On the arrival of a halibut vessel at Gloucester, 

 she is anchored in the harbor, and the skipper, having gone ashore, visits the offices of the several 

 halibut companies, taking offers for his fish at so much per pound for white, so much for gray, and 

 so much for sour. It often happens, though, that the fish are sold "right through," that is, for a 

 fixed price for all sweet fish, and occasionally the halibut are bought so that the dealers take all at 

 one price per pound, and assume the risk of any being unfit for market. Sometimes there is a 

 competition between the buyers, and then the cargo is sold to the highest bidder. At other times, 

 however, the companies pool their interests and fix a price which the fishermen must accept, since, 

 in such cases, nothing can be done but to submit to the dictation of the combination. Formerly, 

 the "hawkers," as the halibut buyers are called, when anxious to buy a vessel's cargo, were accus- 

 tomed to go off in boats and meet the schooners as they came in the harbor; at present this is 

 rarely done. The cargo having been sold the vessel is hauled up to the wharf. 



The unlading of a halibut vessel is a very interesting operation to any one to whom it is novel. 

 The schooner having been hauled up to the wharf of one of the halibut companies, the hatches are 

 opened and a strong tackle is attached to the fore and main staysail-halyards and adjusted over 

 one of the hatches. Two or three men are stationed in the hold . The fish are " broken out of the 

 pens" and dragged beneath the hatch, and each one has a "strap" of buoy line fastened around the 

 slender part of its tail. This strap is about 3 feet long, with the ends spliced together to form a 

 ring. This is dexterously fastened to the tail in a kind of slip-noose ; by passing one bight through 

 the other and into the loose part a hook from the hoisting tackle is easily caught. Three or four, 

 or even more, fish are thus attached to the same hook, and then the pendant, slimy group is hoisted. 

 Now a similar hook attached to another rope on the wharf, called an " outhauler," is thrown 

 down and fastened into the eye of one of the fishes, which are both hoisted and hauled on to the 

 wharf at the same time. As the fish are lifted and pulled to the wharf the hoisters suddenly let 

 go and the halibut fall sprawling over the floor of the fish-house. Here a sturdy gang armed with 

 gaff hooks are waiting. The fish are culled into grades, and either the white or gray ones, as the 

 case may be, are tossed into a tray pendant from a pair of large steelyards. Their weight ascer- 

 tained, they are dumped again on the floor, their heads cut off, and then they are ready for pack- 



