124 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



Mr. B. F. Jewett states that Westport continued in the old way until 1872, when Capt. James 

 McCarty bought a set of dories for the Eastern Clipper, but the results did not seem to warrant 

 the extra expense, and the vessels of the island have not adopted the method very extensively in 

 the Bank fisheries. 



The result of this style of fishing has not been very satisfactory, especially to the shoresmen, 

 who claim that the fish caught average much smaller than in the old way, and that the additional 

 expense of dories much more than counterbalances the extra weight of fish. They all strongly 

 favor going back to hand-lining from deck, but the crews object, and generally refuse to go in that 

 way. The fish taken in this way in 1879 averaged between one-third and one-half large. 



2. THE FISHING GROUNDS. 



Before the beginning of the present century the fishing was almost exclusively carried on upon 

 the Grand Bank, on its shallow portions, the early fishermen rarely attempting to fish in water of 

 a greater depth than 40 fathoms. At the beginning of the present century vessels fished to a 

 considerable extent upon Western or Sable Island Bank and Banquereau. A fleet also visited 

 Brown's Bank and Seal Island Ground. These vessels were from the coast of Maine, but it is 

 recorded that many of the Marblehead fleet used to fish on Brown's Bank previous to the Revolu- 

 tionary war, and this locality has been a favorite resort for the past thirty years, of the Gloucester 

 hand-line fishermen the so-called George's-men who often find it more profitable to go there than 

 to visit George's Bank. 



Since the introduction of the use of dories in hand-lining, the favorite fishing grounds have 

 been the Grand Bank, more especially in the vicinity of the Virgin Rocks, the shoal water or 

 " rocky bottom " of Banquereau, and Western or Sable Island Bank. 



There is no fishing for cod on the Grand Bank in winter, though unsuccessful trials have in 

 past years been made. 



The Cape Cod vessels rarely leave home for the Grand Bank until April, May, or even June. 

 Occasionally, however, an earlier start is made.* 



Captain Hurlburt thinks that cod spawn after May 15, on the the Grand Bank. The fishermen 

 find the fish on the southern and western edge of the Bank in April and May; later they are lost 

 track of, though many remain throughout the year. A smaller school goes up the shoal parts of 

 the Bank later in the season, following the schools of capelin. 



3. THE VESSELS. 



The vessels employed in the early history of the fishery were much smaller and less thoroughly 

 equipped than the modern fishing schooner. During the first century of the American fisheries 

 they were usually of the rig known as the "ketch"; occasionally, also, the old-fashioned vessels 

 known as "snows" were employed. In the eighteenth century there were employed in this fishery 

 a large number of schooners of 40 to 70 tons, old measurement. The "schooner" appears to have 

 been invented about the year 1714. The best records indicate that the first vessel of this class 

 was built at Gloucester by Andrew Robinson. t 



* 1870. "The schooner Storm King sailed from Provincetown for the Grand Bank on Tuesday of last week. She 

 is the first vessel that has sailed from that port for the Banks so early for many years. About the year 1835, Capt. 

 Godfrey Ryder started for the Banks about the middle of March in the schooner Godfrey. He encountered severe 

 weather and intense cold, the fishing lines freezing stiff as they were drawn in over the rails. This, however, did not 

 prevent his catching a full fare and returning home in time to make another successful voyage the same season to 

 Chaleur Bay." Gloucester Telegraph, March 23, 1870. 



tSabine, p. 130. 



