420 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
cleared, and we left the sound. It shut down at 8, soon after we 
passed Cape Beale, and continued until late in the afternoon. The 
trawl line was set at 10:20 in 60 fathoms, fine sand and rocks, S. 14° E., 
22 miles from Cape Beale, and when taken up 2 hours later we found 
on the hooks 3 halibut, 2 black-cod, and 16 dogfish. 
It became evident that sharks and dogfish had possession of the fish- 
ing banks at this season to the exclusion of food-fishes, while in the 
spring and early summer, when halibut are plentiful, only a few of 
these pests are found; there has been po fall fishing here before, and 
consequently no information concerning the time they leave the coast 
and halibut and other valuable species return. 
Straits ofFuca and Puget Sound . — As soon as the trawl line was up we 
smarted for Neeah Bay, where we anchored at 4 p. m. The Coast Sur- 
vey steamer, McArthur , was in the harbor, making preparations to go 
to San Francisco, having completed her season’s work. Leaving the 
bay at 7:50 a. m. on the 30th, we arrived at Port Townsend at 4:48 p. m., 
and anchored for the night. Judge Swan visited the ship at 8 the fol- 
lowing morning for a conference relative to our recent investigations, 
and also in regard to our future work. 
Some slight repairs to the machinery being required, we left for 
Seattle at 10:05, October 1, anchoring off that place at 2 p. m. I 
called on the mayor of the city an hour later, and gave him an account 
of our cruise, and what we had learned concerning the coast fisheries 
of Washington Territory. The necessary repairs being completed we 
left Seattle at 10:55 a. m., October 4, and anchored in Port Townsend 
at 3:30 p. m. I called on Judge Swan soon after our arrival, and gave 
him an invitation to make a cruise with us for a week or two, which he 
accepted. A large party of citizens of Port Townsend visited the ship 
during the 5th, and at 6 a. m. the following day we got under way and 
steaming across the straits, anchored in Eoyal Eoads, the outer liarbor 
of Victoria, at 9:30. I went on shore at 10 a. m., in company with 
Judge Swan, and called on the United States consul and others. 
Mr. Henry Saunders, an enterprising fish-dealer, having recently 
engaged in the development of the black-cod fishery, we called on him 
to make inquiries. He informed us that his schooner brought down 
3,000 fish on her first trip, when she had an Indian crew. She had 
gone on a second voyage manned by Newfoundland fishermen, and he 
anticipated better results. The fish were caught off Queen Charlotte’s 
Island, in from 200 to 220 fathoms, were very plentiful, and took the 
hook readily. These fish are highly prized where known, and are des- 
tined soon to occupy a leading place among the deep-sea fishes of the 
Pacific coast. I can testify to their excellence when fresh, salted, or 
smoked. We called also on Mr. George Vienna, the largest fish-dealer 
in the city, and gained much information regarding the local fisheries. 
Leaving Victoria at 6 a. m. on the 7th, we arrived at Departure Bay 
at 3:30 p. m., and went to the wharf at 6 the following morning. We 
