THE COAST OF MAINE. 35 



shape, and aboat a mile and a quarter in diameter. It has depths of thirty to fifty fathoms and 

 is shoalest on the eastern part. This shoal is broken and rocky, but on the other parts of the 

 ground the bottom is gravelly, with spots of mud. Cod and cusk are the principal fish taken 

 here, although a few haddock, pollock, and hake are also caught. June is considered the best 

 month on this ground for small boats, which usually fish until they are driven away by dogfish. 



MoNHEGAN OUTEE Sou'-SoTJTHEAST GROUND is about three miles outside of the Inner 

 Soo'-Southeast, on the same bearing, and is similar in size and shape to the Outer Sou'-Sou'- west 

 Ground. The bottom is rocky and muddy, or composed of hard clay, and the depths range from 

 thirty-five to fifty-five fathoms. This ground is resorted to by the same kinds of fish that are 

 caught on the inner shoal. 



MONHEGAN Southeast Ground bears southeast from Monhegan Island, from which the 

 center is distant twelve miles. It is nearly three miles in diameter, and circular in shape, but 

 the bottom is so broken, the depths within very short distances varying from thirty-five to 

 seventy-five fathoms, that it is somewhat difficult to find. The bottom consists of rocks, gravel, 

 and mud. This is considered a good locality for cod from April to July; both trawls and hand- 

 lines are used. 



Hill Ground bears nearly south-southwest nine miles from Matinic, and is between three 

 and four miles long, southwest and northeast, and about two miles wide. The shoalest portion 

 has a depth of thirty-five fathoms, with rocky bottom ; but from here it slopes off gradually to a 

 depth of fifty fathoms, with a mixed bottom of gravel, rocks, and mud. The best fishing it offers 

 is for hake. Both trawls and hand-lines are used. 



GROUNDS SOUTHWEST OP MONHEGAN ISLAND. 



Monhegan Inner Sou'-Sou'west Ground. — This piece of ground derives its name from 

 its bearings, lying as it does to the south-southwest of Monhegan lighthouse, at a distance of 

 about five miles ; its length in a south-southwest and north-northeast direction is about one and 

 one-half miles, and its width one and one-fourth miles. It has a sharp, broken, rocky bottom, and 

 includes a verj-^ small shoal of twenty fathoms and several other hummocks with somewhat greater 

 depths. The deepest water is fifty fathoms. This ground is fished on mostly by the Monhegan 

 boats in the spring, from May until July, for cod and pollock. 



Monhegan Outer Sou'Sou'west Ground. — This ground bears the same as the last, the 

 center being nine miles distant from Monhegan light-house. It is four miles long, south-southwest 

 and north-northeast, and about two miles wide. The depths range from sixty to eighty fathoms, 

 the bottom being generally pebbly and quite level. This is considered a good ground for cod in 

 the spring and fall, and is resorted to by the small boats from Monhegan and by small fishing- 

 vessels, ranging in size from fifteen to twenty tons, and owned between Portland and Isle au 

 Haute, which visit these shoal spots during the spring and summer. 



GROUNDS "WEST OP MONHEGAN ISLAND. 



Old Jeppeey's. — This is an exceedingly good ground for fish, and it is said that better fishing 

 may be obtained here than on any other ground of its size in the vicinity. In the spring, cod are 

 most abundant, while hake, together with cod and pollock, are taken in the late summer and fall. 

 This ground bears southeast from Pumpkin Eock from which the center is distant about six miles. 

 It is about three miles long, southwest and northeast, and about a mile wide. The depth varies 

 from twenty-five to fifty fathoms, the bottom being broken and consisting of rocks, gravel, and 

 mud. 



