166 EEPORT OP COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [50] 



most likely to have menhadeu bait at this season, I made au engage- 

 ment with him to furnish us with what we wanted if it could be obtained, 

 and he immediately ordered a ^boat to beat up river, and if any fish were 

 taken by the seining gangs to bring to Newport enough for our use. 

 Mr. Thompson thought the boat might return about 5 p. m., but she 

 did not come at that hour, nor, indeed, did she arrive during the even- 

 ing. Her non-arrival was attributed to the cold breezy weather, which, 

 it was supposed, had prevented the fishermen from making any hauls 

 of menhaden. It should also be mentioned that I bought 3 barrels of 

 salt (barrels included) from Mr. Thompson, to be used for salting any 

 fish we might be fortunate enough to take, and which might be useful 

 for food or bait. It was also necessary to have salt to put on the nets 

 in case that, after being set, no opportunity offered for drying them. 



Tuesday, October 16. — The weather was clear and cool with a moder- 

 ate breeze from NE. to NNE. During the day we .succeeded in getting 

 1 barrel of fresh menhaden, which had been taken in fish ponds or traps 

 and hauled to town on carts. No fish, so far as we could learn, were 

 caught in seines. 



At 5.30 p. m. we got under way, and stood out of Newport Harbor 

 After getting out past Brenton's Reef, we steered so as to go to the west- 

 ward of No Man's Land, after which the course was changed so that 

 the ship should pass a few miles southward of South Shoal light-ship. 

 This took the ship over the ground where mackerel, if anywhere in this 

 vicinity, would be most liable to occur, and also where it was not alto- 

 gether improbable that menhaden might be met with. No schools of 

 fish were seen, however, though a good lookout was kept. It may not 

 be out ot place to remark in this connection that easterly winds are par- 

 ticularly unfavorable for fish to rise to the surface, and especially when 

 such winds are accompanied with cool weather. j| 



Wednesday, October 17. — The wind still continued easterly, varying,' 

 during the day, from east to northeast, and moderate ; weather cool. 

 At 6.35 a. m. South Shoal light-ship was abeam about 2^ miles distant.' 

 Having steamed about 10 to 12 miles on a SE. by E. ^ E. course after 

 passing the light-ship, we then ran ENB. ^ E. (mag.) 20.1 miles, thence 

 44 miles N. by W. J W. (mag.). At 4.10 p. m, we changed our course to 

 NW. by N. (mag.) ; ran 23 J miles. 



These courses took us up South Channel and to the eastward of Fish-I 

 ing Eip, and thence to Cape Cod, the ship passing over the ground where 

 there was the greatest probability of meeting with schools of mack 

 erel that might be moving off the coast in a southerly direction. Not- 

 withstanding that a sharp lookout was kept, not the least indication of 

 the presence of mackerel was observable. No sea-geese (Phaleropes), 

 gannets, or other birds that might denote the presence of bodies of fish, 

 were seen, neither did we observe any porpoises, whales, blackfish, or 

 other species which prey on mackerel, while I failed to see a single 

 "slick" on the water — a " sign" of the presence of fish which is worthy 



