188 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



decline, being carried on quite as vigorously and as successfully at tbe preseut time as ever in its 

 history. Although Gloucester is the only port which has extensively engaged in this fishery, a 

 few vessels from other New England ports have from time to time participated in it. From 1859 

 to 1862 Southport sent several vessels ; and Vinal Haven, Me., Marblehead, Rockport, and other 

 Massachusetts ports have also had vessels engaged in it. Concerning the history of the George's 

 fishery from Southport, Mr. R. E. Earll obtained the following information of Mr. D. Cameron and 

 Mr. B. F. Jewett : 



Hearing the favorable reports of the George's fishermen of Gloucester from time to time, the 

 owners of vessels in Southport decided to send their vessels instead of keeping them so long idle. 

 The first vessels started in February, 1859, and as there was some difficulty about finding men to 

 go at that season of the year, the crews were picked up not wholly from the island, but from 

 Westport and other towns in the vicinity. Schooner Mazeppa, Capt. W. E. Wells, was sent out 

 by Cameron & Orne about the 1st of February, and two others, the Atlantic and S. H. Cameron, 

 started shortly after. They provided themselves with ice for keeping their halibut fresh for the 

 Portland market. The fish seemed very scarce und the weather very stormy, so that their trips 

 were not profitable, but they continued in the business until about the 1st of July, and finally 

 abandoned it. In 1861 or 1862 the schooner Humboldt went during the greater part of the year, 

 but the rough weather and poor fishing caused them to discontinue. About this time William 

 Decker sent two vessels, the Willie G. and Archer, one season with same results. They were the 

 last. 



In 1879 there were one hundred and four Gloucester vessels constantly employed in the 

 George's fishery, many of them making over a dozen trips each, and forty-eight other Gloucester 

 vessels followed the fishery a part of the season, the entire fleet aggregating one thousand trips 

 and landing 23,144,000 pounds of codfish and 995,000 pounds of fresh halibut. 



In 1880 the Gloucester George's fleet aggregated one hundred and sixty-three vessels, one 

 hundred and seven of them engaging exclusively in that fishery, while the others were employed 

 for a part of the year iu other fisheries. The fleet made one thousand four hundred and thirty trips, 

 and landed 27,000,511 pounds of codfish and 1,125,450 pounds of fresh halibut. 



In 1881 the fleet was the same size as in 1880, the catch aggregating 22,510,000 pounds of cod 

 and 1,087,400 pounds of fresh halibut. 



The dangers and hardships of this fishery are so great that only the most daring and hardy of 

 fishermen care to continue in its prosecution. The system of mutual insurance, which has been so 

 successful in Gloucester, enables the owners to fa,ce the great risks of the George's fishery with 

 less apprehension than can be done by those of any other ports. 



Like the fresh halibut fishery, the George's fishery is carried on throughout the entire year. 

 Until within a few years it was the practice of the Gloucester vessels to 4i haul up" iu harbor from 

 November to the 1st of February, since they could not be insured until that date, but at present 

 they can be insured at all seasons, and the competition which exists has now compelled almost all 

 of them to keep at work twelve mouths iu the year. The fresh-halibut, haddock, and the George's 

 fisheries are the only fisheries carried on continuously winter and summer.* 



The haddock fishery is carried on to a comparatively limited extent in summer, but it is pros- 

 cuted upon a large scale in winter. 



The Gloucester Telegraph of January 4, 1859, contains the remark that "at one time the 



*In 1874, at Christmas time, only four vessels were engaged in this fishery. The W. H. Raymond arrived 

 December 22 with 30,000 pounds of fish a good fare, though the weather was rough. (Cape Ann Advertiser, Decem- 

 ber 25, 1874.) 



