FRESH HALIBUT FISHERY. 27 



The remarkable increase in the importance of this fishery during the past eighteen years may 

 perhaps best be illustrated by quoting the following paragraph from the Cape Ann Advertiser of 

 January 1C, 1863, aud comparing it with what follows: 



"The schooner Marengo, from Western Banks, arrived at Gloucester with 17,000 pounds of 

 halibut, which sold for $1,300. The schooner William Parkman, with 11,000 pounds, selling for 

 $900, and the Madame Bolland, with a trip amounting to $600, making a gross amount of $2,800 

 for the three trips. This," remarks the editor, " is what we call doing the thing up brown." 



We will now compare the big trips above mentioned with, the following references to other 

 large fares during the last twelve years, as recorded iiTtlfe Cape Ann Advertiser: 



"The schooner Daniel McFee arrived at Gloucester May 4, 1860, with 45,000 pounds of halibut, 

 which sold for $1,125. 



" The schooner Cyuiska arrived May 10, 1860, from Western Banks, with 40,000 pounds. 



" The schooner Mohenie arrived February 3, 1860, from George's Bank with 13,000 pounds of 

 halibut, which sold for $1,240." 



In April, 1867, schooner Aphrodite arrived at Gloucester from Western Bank and landed one 

 of the most profitable trips ever made by a Gloucester vessel. She was absent twenty days, and 

 brought in 41,000 pounds of halibut and 2,000 pounds of codfish, the gross stock amounting to 

 $4,246.37. Xet stock, $4,126.72. The crew shared $171.51 apiece. There had been larger fares 

 brought in up to this time, but never so large an amount of money realized from the sales, halibut 

 then being very scarce and commanding a good price. 



A trip of 80.000 pounds of halibut was brought to Gloucester in May, 1867, by schooner 

 Flying Fish. 



The schooner James G. Tarr arrived at Gloucester in July, 1867, from the Grand Bank with 

 140,000 weight of halibut and codfish. There were upward of 100,000 pounds of halibut weighed 

 off, the largest amount up to that time ever landed from a single fare. The vessel stocked about 

 $4,000. 



The Cape Ann Advertiser of May 29, 1868, says: "Schooner Mary G. Denn : s, which arrived 

 from Western Banks last week, brought in 75,395 pounds of halibut, and 9,950 pounds of codfish. 

 Her net stock amounted to $3,604.85, and the crew shared $143.85 each. Time absent, four 

 weeks." 



The same paper for June 19, 1868, says: " Schooner Montana, Welsh, arrived from a four weeks' 

 cruise to the Grand Banks last week, with 95,773 pounds of halibut and 2,250 pounds of codfish, 

 the net stock amounting to $3,265. The Montana, in her two trips to the Grand Banks, has 

 stocked $0,000." And the Advertiser of July 24, in the same year, says: "Schooner Montana 

 arrived from her third trip to the Grand Banks on Friday last, with 65,227 pounds of halibut and 

 2,100 pounds of codfish, her net stock amounting to $2,329.02. The Montana has stocked in her 

 five trips $10,311.02, which is the highest net stock made this season by any Gloucester vessel." 



The Cape Ann Advertiser of September 24, 1869, says: "Schooner C. B. Manning, of this 

 port, which arrived from the Grand Banks on Sunday, brought in 49,000 pounds of halibut and 

 14,000 pounds of codfish, having been absent but four weeks. The halibut were sold for $12 and 

 $8 per hundred weight, her net stock amounting to $4,033.44. Crew shared $116.06 each. 



In 1869, the schooner Sarah P. Ayer, Captain Thurlow, owned by Dennis & Ayre, stocked 

 $1,251 from a trip of thirty-five days. This was one of the biggest trips of that time. In five 

 trips that year she stocked $12,000. In 1871 the schooner Mary G. Dennis, owned by Dennis & 

 Ayre, brought in 116,000 pounds of halibut, which sold for $2,400. 



The schooner Lizzie K. Clark, of Gloucester, Capt. Edwin Morris, arrived in March, 1874, 



