THE JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 641 



1786. 



February 11 : James Brown, Win. Key, Win. Singleton, John Gregory, and Chas. Taylor to lish at Wood's Island 

 every Sunday night (same terms as above) ; Sam'l Edmunds & Co., Monday do. ; Jas. Edmunds & Co., Tuesday do. ; 

 Thos. Jopling & Co., Wednesday do. ; Killis Wright, Thursday do. ; Wru. Walton, Friday do. ; James Mathews, Moses 

 Ray, John Bibb, &e., &c., on same terms, &c., &c., at Swift Island fishery. 



March 29 : At night hauled the seine but caught no fish ; Wood's Island. March 30 : Caught 3 shad ; the first. 

 March 31 : Caught 9 shad ; the evening very Vet and windy. 



April 14 : Caught 180 shad at the Swift Island ; the first this season. April 15 : Caught 177 shad at the Wood's 

 Island fishery. April 16: Caught 930 shad at the Swift Islaml fishery. April IT: Caught 00 shad at the Wood's 

 Island fishery. April 13: James Mathews caught 1,262 shad at my Swift Island fishery; James Edmunds caught 

 680 shad at my upper fishery (Wood's I.). April 19 : Thos. Jopling, jr., John Ball & Co., 1,203 shad at my upper 

 fishery (Wood's Island) ; Wm. Johnsou & Co., 1,304 shad at my fishery (Swift Island). 



May 4 : Paid Nathan Ward 30 shillings pr. order of Rich'd Murrow jr. for netting one- half the seine at the Swift 



Islands. 



1787. 



March 25 : Yesterday and to-day about 300 shad were caught at my Swift Island fishery. 

 April 8 : Caught a shad at my fishery on Wood's Island which weighed 8J Ibs. good weight. 



May 14 : Declined hauling the seine ; having from the 25th of March been engaged in that business with out ever 

 being interrupted by rain or high water. A most excellent season for fishing. 

 August 14 : Sent Dr. Geo. Gilmer a bbl. of pickle shad (150) by his man John. 

 October 6 : In the morning took a rockfish out of our traps that weighed 12 Ibs. 



1788. 



February 14 : John Bibb to fish at my Swift Island fishery every eighth night during the season, with a good gang, 

 &c. (other contracts as above). 



April 4 : Caught 18 shad at the Swift I. ; the first this season. 



May 16 : John Boush failed to fish at night, the river and weather favorable, and fish plenty. James Mathewa 



failed at Swift Island, do. 



1789. 



Marcli 29 : At night caught 12 shad at Wood's I. ; the first this season. March 30 : At night caught 52 shad at 

 Wood's I. ; at night caught 330 shad at Swift Island. 

 April 2 : At night caught 709 shad at Swift Island. 

 September 29 : Let out fish-traps and caught a few small fish in the night. 



170O, 1791. 



March 27, 1790 : Begun to catch shad. 



May 15, 1791 : Declined fishing, very few being caught, tho' very good. A very unfavorable season for fishing, 



the river having been very low. 



1798. 



April 2: Caught the first shad this season. April 28: Just beginning to catch fish, having been prevented by 

 high water, except two nights, in tho course of the season. 



May 3 : Caught at Wood's I. 1,016 shad last evening. May 16 : Edward Harding and his co. failed to fish at 

 Swift Island ; the fish very good, and upward of 100 caught by the proceeding company. May 20: Declined haul- 

 ing the seine at Wood's I. When we caught upwards of 100 a night, and some of them tolerable good. May 25: At 

 night, old Mr. Smith hauled his seine at Wood's I. and caught upward of 100 shad, which were mostly tolerably good. 



September 29 : Set our fish-trap, but the dam not secure. 



1793. 



March 2-1 : At night caught 70 or 80 shad at Woods I. ; might, have caught several days sooner had the river not 

 liccu loo high. 



November 5: Caught a rockush in the Swift Island trap which weighed 16 Ibs. 



1794. 



March 21 : Began to catch fish. 



May 15: Declined hauling my seine, having caught none of any consequence for some days past; it has been a 

 very bad season for fishing altogether. 



SEC V 41 



