PEESENT CONDITION OF THE FISHERIES. 51 



account of being in company with another man who was doing some- 

 thing in the business. My average this year was about fifteen boats. 

 One or two of them had two men in them. 



Account of Mr. TimotJiy Croclcer^s business for the folloiving years : 



Boxes. Barrels. 



For 1867 180 410 



For 1868 174 382 



For 1869 260 394 



For 1870 , . . . ^ 170 215 



For 1871 190 172 



Total 974 1, 573 



Each box contained 300 pounds, and each barrel 150 pounds. 



974 boxes - 292, 200 pounds. 



1,573 barrels 235, 950 pounds. 



Total 538, 150 pounds. 



Supposing each fish weighs 5 pounds 5)538, 150 pounds. 



107, 630 fish. 



J. G. LoRiNG, (a dealer in fish ; ) 



I had as many as sixteen or eighteen men employed this year; on an 

 average about fourteen men ; and the same for the last four or five 

 years. 



Scup and bass have been falling off every year for many years. Scup 

 were never known on the east side of Cape Ood. With twenty^-five 

 boats we loaded a vessel one Saturday with big sea-bass. We got one 

 and three-quarter cents a pound for them. The next year we got 

 dispatches not to ship sea-bass and scup^ they would not pay the 

 freight. 



Scup are not caught on the south side of the Vineyard. This is their 

 natural cruising-ground. I do not think the scup go back in schools in 

 the fall, but go just as it happens. 



Spanish mackerel are rather falling off here this year. Three j^ears 

 ago they were most plenty. The first I ever saw was five years ago -, 

 but they were much more plenty the next year. 



Squeteague are increasing here. They are caught where blue-fish are 

 caught, drailing, and while fishing for blue-fish. 



Account of J. G. Loring's shipments of fish for the following years : 



Barrels. 



For 1866 552 



For 1867 612 



For 1869 694 



For 1870 799 



For 1871 567 



Total 3, 224 



