122 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [6] 



to a wreck. Large quantities of drift fire-wood were seen during the 

 morning, probably a vessel's deck-load. 



We stood on slowly to the northward as far as the light on Winter- 

 Quarter Shoal, then stood off and on during the night. A thick fog set 

 in at dark. No fish were seen during the day. 



May 3 opened with a fresh breeze from northeast, heavy easterly 

 swell and a dense fog. We stood off and on between the light-ship and 

 Fenwick's Island during the day, but saw no fish nor fishermen. The 

 fleet of mackerel fishermen were due in this region, and in order to as- 

 certain their whereabouts we started ahead, and at midnight stood in 

 for Cape Henlopen, sighting it about 7 a. m,, the fog having lifted for a 

 short time. At 8 a. m. we boarded the fishing schooner, M. B. Tower, of 

 Portland, Me., which had just arrived on the station. Captain Blake 

 said that he had seen neither fish nor fishing fleet, and would like to 

 know where either or both were. 



After parting company with the schooner we ran 30 miles southeast 

 and found vessel after vessel looming up out of the fog. The M. E. 

 Torrey, of Sedgwick, and the Starry Flag, of Gloucester, were boarded. 

 They had taken no fish and had seen none, having just arrived from 

 Sandy Hook. There were they said about 125 schooners farther to the 

 southward. 



The weather was somewhat clearer during the afternoon, and, wish- 

 ing to see what the fleet were doing, we steamed to the southward till 

 7 p. m., gradually overhauling and passing many vessels. The fog shut 

 down again about dark, and, not wishing to miss the fleet, we hove to 

 for the night. Qur steam whistle, which was sounded frequently, and 

 the fog horns of the fishing fleet made a most doleful concert. Ko 

 mackerel had been seen as yet. 



The fog continued on the i5th and there was still quite a swell from the 

 eastward. Schooners were passing us frequently, standing to the south- 

 ward. During the morning we took three casts of the trawl and rake- 

 dredge in shoal water and then steamed slowly to the southward, watch- 

 ing the movements of such vessels as we sighted in the fog. As no fish 

 had been seen here I determined to stand to the southward and see if 

 we could find them in that region. With this object in view we started 

 at 11 a. m. and steamed to latitude 36° 30' IST., but saw no fish. We 

 then turned to the northward running off and on shore, intending to 

 intercept the fishing fleet in the morning. 



The fog continued throughout the day and until about 9 a. m. on the 

 6th, when it broke away, revealing several fishing schooners, and soon 

 after we saw our first school of mackerel, in latitude 37° 03' N., longi- 

 tude 74P 54' W. They were small fish, and, on speaking the Richard K. 

 Fox soon after, he informed us that he had seen the same school. We 

 then steamed to the southward and westward till 2 p. m., then south- 

 east to latitude 36° N., but saw no indications of mackerel, after leaving 

 the fishing fleet. At 7 p. m. we changed our course to the northward. 



