FKESU HALIBUT FISHERY. 85 



tlio Williams whcu he went adrift, and be replied that bis vessel held on only about fifteen or 

 twenty minutes after tbe squall struck. The two captains made a brief stay, but soon returned to 

 their own vessels, and went in search of their gear. 



I got good observations to-day, by which I found our position to be 44 33' north latitude, and 

 53 40' west longitude. 



The skipper of the Andrew Leighton came aboard at 2.30 p. in. His vessel went adrift in the 

 late gale, and in consequence he lost 18 skates of trawl, which were out, and these, together with 

 previous losses, make 27 skates he has lost this trip 4 besides 75 fathoms of cable and two anchors. 

 He told me that every vessel that was near where he was went adrift. He reports his trip as 

 20,COO pounds of halibut, but as he could see co probability of finding his gear, he said he should 

 go home, which, under the circumstances, was about all he could do. The wind at this time (3 

 p. m.) was SSW., blowing a fresh breeze. After he returned to his own vessel he put the bonnet 

 in the jib and started for home under three lower sails. 



We got about 9,000 or 10,OCO pounds of halibut to-day. Set twelve skates of trawl at 3.30 p. m. 

 While the men were out setting the gear the Edwin C. Dolliver spoke us and then ran a short berth 

 to the NNW., where she anchored. Soon afterwards the Phillips also spoke us and ran to the north- 

 ward, how far I don't know, as it came on dark a short time after she passed us. The wind blew 

 up smart at dark. We stuck out more cable and took our dories in before we began to dress the 

 fish. After the dories were in we shoved them up forward as far as we could, so that they would 

 be out of the way of our work. It was 9 p. m. \\hen we got the fish dressed and the dories placed 

 in their proper positions. At this time it was blowing strong and there were indications of a gale. 

 Barometer 30, and falling quite fast. Thinking it best to get everything prepared for a gale before 

 we turned in, I did not take off my oil-clothes, but sat down on the cabin floor to wait until the 

 men in the ice-house got the fish iced. Feeling somewhat fatigued after the work and anxieties of 

 the day, I soon fell asleep, but was awakened at 10.30 p. m., when the ice-house crowd came into the 

 cabin. By this time the barometer had fallen to 29.80, and it was blowing heavily and storming. 

 We manned the windlass, hove in the strad, and then stuck out some more cable and set the dories 

 amidships. 



Thursday, February 13, 1879. At 7 a. m. wind SW., blowing heavily, with rough sea, thick 

 fog, and drizzly rain. Barometer 29.60. At 9 o'clock the wind struck in a heavy westerly squall, 

 and, thinking it would continue to blow a gale, I turned in and went to sleep. I waked at 10 

 a. m., but not hearing the familiar roar of breaking waves, and howling of the wind, I knew at 

 once that it had moderated. I immediately turned out and inquired of the watch how long it 

 had been since the wind died away. "Only about half an hour or less," he replied. "Why 

 did you not call me before? You knew I wanted to be called if it died away," I said. "Well, 

 I didn't know but it'd blow agin soon ; it looks miff like it," he answered in a dogged sort of 

 manner. It could not be denied that it did look "nnff like it," nevertheless I told him to 

 call the men forward and we would heave in some cable, at the same time rousing out the after 

 crowd. We had hove in only about 30 fathoms before I knew by the bearings of the Dolliver 

 that we were adrift. After the cable was in we found that it was chafed off square as an ax 

 would cut it, and that we had lost 120 fathoms. It is probable that the cable was not on the 

 bottom more than half an hour, and it must have come in contact with a very sharp rock to 

 cut it off so quickly. Although the loss of cable is not an uncommon occurrence, I have gen- 

 erally been fortunate in that respect, never having lost so much before in the eighteen years 

 I have been master of a fishing vessel. This is a special misfortune to us, too, at this par- 



