Y4 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



besides the reefed mainsail, the whole jib set, and I thought it would burst when the squall struck 

 into it. So I sang out at the top of my voice, " Leave the foresail and man the jib-downhaul, and 

 let's get the jib down before it goes to pieces." All being ready, the halyards were let go, but it 

 was a hard job to haul the sail down. The force of wind striking in the sail would send it surging 

 up and down the stay, as though it would tear itself clear off the hanks. After it was down we 

 took both bonnets out, and setting that and the reefed foresail, we let the vessel go to the westward 

 again under her double reefs, which were quite enough, for she frequently buried her lee rail and 

 filled the lee side with water. We passed Thatcher's Island at 9.30 p. m. Just before midnight 

 we came to anchor off the steamboat wharf, in Gloucester harbor, and having furled the sails, &c., 

 we hoisted out a dory, and all the married men went home. 



Thursday, March 21, 1878. After breakfast, I went down to the fresh-halibut establishments 

 and tried to sell our fish. Halibut were very low, and the gentlemen who composed the halibut 

 firms did not seem inclined to make any offer, so I determined to go to Boston for a market. The 

 Howard, which got in this a. m., was going with us, but when the "hawkers" found we were about 

 to start, they came down and made us a more liberal offer, and we sold to the Atlantic Company 

 for 3J cents per pound right through for white and gray. We hove up our anchor and dropped 

 into the halibut wharf, but did not take any fish out to-day. 



Friday, March 22, 1878. We took our fish out this forenoon and hauled to our own wharf at 

 noon. We weighed out 20,000 pounds. Our net stock was $334.40, and share $11.44. It is quite 

 needless to make any comments on these two last trips. Let it suffice to say that we are not the 

 only ones who have made poor fares ; even moderately good trips, being an exception rather than 

 a rule this winter. Even with large fares of fish, as we had on our last trip before this, little could 

 be made owing to the low price.* 



Friday, January 24, 1879. It being understood that we should sail to-day, th boys all put in 

 an appearance at the wharf between 8 and 9 a. m., many of them bringing under their arms a 

 small calico bag containing a supply of clean clothes for the trip, and nearly all getting a quantity 

 of tobacco and pipes at the store; the order to the clerk generally being as follows : " Say, Archie, 

 give us two pound terbaccer and a half dozen T. D.'s" (the common clay pipes with "T. D." 

 marked on the bowl.) 



A noticeable absence of shore clothes, the hasty running for this and that article forgotten 

 until the last moment, and the pulling here and hauling there, gave evidence that a "start" was 

 contemplated. 



In the mean time the cook built a fire in his cooking stove and began making preparations for 

 dinner. 



All were ready at last, and just before noon the sails were hoisted and we filled away from the 

 wharf. As the city clock struck twelve we passed the " fort," beating out of the harbor with a 

 moderate southwest breeze. 



After passing Eastern Point, at the harbor's mouth, we set the staysail and shaped our course 

 E. by 8. for the Banks, and so as to pass several miles to the southward of Cape Sable, Nova 

 Scotia. 



In the mean time the ropes were coiled, dories turned bottom up and securely lashed, and the 

 vessel pumped out ; while our ears, as we turned the " Point," were pleasantly greeted by the 



* The two trips made in the beginning of 1878, the second of which has been described in the foregoing pages, 

 were the most unremunerative I ever made. The one alluded to above will serve as an example of the extreme of 

 poor fares, not so much in the quantity of fish taken (for profitable voyages have often been made with no more) but 

 as showing both a limited catch and a low price. On the previous trip, though a large quantity of halibut was taken, 

 the finaucial results wore even worse than those given above, the men sharing only a little more than $8 apiece. 



