374 HISTORY* AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



1858. 



In 1858 tarred the seine again. Fished until September J 1 .', :iml us the work :it the fiinn was urgent, wo went no 

 more until October 18, when we went out, but caught no fish. November 1 we started down bay with two sloops to 

 tish for the factory at Southold. They have just built a factory there and wish to purchase fish. Wo heard there 

 were plenty of fish in Gardiner's Bay, so we took two sloops, expecting the crew to live in one and have the other 

 to carry the fish to the factory. And it was calm nearly ail day. We arrived at Southold late iu the evening; came 

 to anchor, and before morning it was blowing a gale from the east; RO we came back to Jamesport. The wind blew 

 hard from the east for several days. And that ended our fishing for thi.s season. This factory had been taking iish 

 all the season, and a purse-seine gang from Connecticut had been fishing for them. I think it was the Luce Brothers. 

 They did not fish in small boats towed behind a sloop, as we did, but, used large double-end boats, and had to lower 

 the sails to the purse and mate boats some ways to windward of the tish, and haul half of the seine from the purse to 

 the mate boat while dropping down to the shoal of tish. They aiso used one or two boats, a trifle larger, to carry tish. 

 They had six men on seine and a man in each ear'away boat. 



1850. 



In 1859 tarred and hung the seine again, and went out for the first time on June 1. Sold the fish to the factory 

 at Sonthold for most of the season. October 24, took 20,000 fish. 



I860. 



In 1860 we had a much larger purse-boat built, as I intended to clear up the seine iu future on the seiue-boals 

 It is sharp at both ends, and 20 feet long. r some of the fishermen laughed at me and said it will not work, bill in 

 two years they all cleared up on the seine-boats and now (1878) would think a man crazy who tried to clear the seine 

 as we used to the first years of my fishing; and when I commenced to purse fish they scooped them all on board the 

 sloop with hand-nets, but we soon thought of a better way. I was the first that used a largo net with a handle, the 

 same that is used at the present time.] I have enlarged my seine this year (I860) and now have it four hundred 

 meshes wide, and use six men instead of four, and have employed a small sloop, so that I can have a car'away. We 

 had the boats and seine ready, so that we were ready to fish on May 23, when we caught 7,200 fish ; on the 24th we 

 took 21,000; on the 26th, 5,000; on the 29th, 12.700; on the 30th, 10,200, and the 31st, 18,000. In the latter part of 

 July and first part of August fish were very scarce. August 9 took 28,000 fish otf Bridgeport, Conn. Had previously 

 fished nearly all the time in Peconic and Gardiner's Bays. August 13 tarred aud hung the seine. September 11 the 

 sloop I have had to use has started for home to-day, so I have only my little sloop now. 



1861 



May 31, 1861, I fixed up bunks and table in a small house wo have rented, as my little sloop is not large enough 

 for us all to live on board and carry the fish, consequently 1 will be obliged to confine our operations in Peconic Buy 

 fishing for the farmers. 



July 25 aud 26 fishing at Cold Spring and Northport. July 30 took 66,000 fish otf Bridgeport, Conn., and August 

 2 took 70,000 at same place. August 24, ofT Milford, Conn., we saw fish in every direction as far as the eye could 

 reach, and good shoals. We went to work with a will, and we soon had the sloop loaded and then headed her for 

 Wading River. The farmers were looking for us, and we soon carted the fish out. We had 77,000 fish. 



1862. 



In 1862 we purchased a larger sloop called the Willium Hal Held, which will carry 20 tons; expect to have her to 

 tow th" boats and seine, and for the crew to live ; also to carry iish, using the little sloop, the Accordeou, for u eurr\ 

 away. We have fixed and painted the sloops and boats ; tarred and hung the seine, and have everything ready to 

 commence fishing the 4th of June, but the wind came on to blow and wo had a violent east storm. 



June 5th, Thursday: Wind continues east, so we did not fish, but fixed the deck boards ami bunks on board the 

 William Hatfield. Friday, 6th: Went down bay; wind continues east ; went in Noyack Bay, but caught no fish ; just 

 at night went up and anchored in the cove near New Suiloik. Saturday, Itli : Went out; caught 3,000 lisli : landed 

 them at Jamesport. Monday, 9th: Wind blows strong from the east ; we did not fish. Tamlay, Wth : Went out in 

 Pecouic Bay ; caught 6,500 fish; sent them to J. Applic's factory ; pleasant. Wt dnt ///, llth: Wind blew strong ; did 

 not fish. '1 hurt/day, 12th: Went out in Peconic Bay ; caught 4,150 Iish ; sent them to Jamesport for the farmers; pleas- 

 ant. Friday, 1'Mli : Caught ir, Peconic Bay 18,9.",0 lish ; landed them at Jamesport ; pleasant. Saliinliii/, 1 Ml: : ('.-Might 

 in Peconic Bay 22,500 Iish ; landed them at Jamesport; pleasant. JJ/oiirfo//, 1C//1 : Went out iu I'ceonic Bay : caught 

 18,900 fish ; lauded them at Jamesport) pleasant. Tuesday, I'tli: Caught in Peconic Bay 23.050 fish ; landed at James- 

 port. Wcdncaday, IStk: Wind blew hard S\V. ; we, did not go fishing; we fixed the reel. Tliin-adny, 1'J/A: Went out 

 fishing; caught none. Friday, 20(/i : Went down through IVconic Bay, and were bound down into Gardiner's Bay, 

 -when, abreast of Greenport, we saw a good shoal of Iish; went around it, but, the water being deep, they dove the 

 seine and came up back side iu good shape ; we took the seine on as soon as we could and tried them again ; they 

 dove the second time, and while we were getting our seine on the bouts they had moved into shoaler water; we tried 

 them the third time, when we caught them ; we saved 27,5011 ; sent them to J. Applie's factory ; pleasant day. Satitr 



