APPENDIX. 165 



liere. We stopped about the 1st of September, 1848, aud then commenced fishing for hake and 

 pollock again. We did better at lobstering than we could at anything else. In the fall we set 

 mackerel nets, but did not do much and fitted out for winter fishing as usual. 



In 1849 we were in th« J. Sawyer still fishing for cod in the winter and halibut in the spring. 

 We had contracted to furnish lobsters to Boston, but we heard of cholera being at the south and 

 the dealers backed out. 



During the spring of 1849 I was in Boston selling codfish. We were accustomed to take our 

 livers to Boston, and we sold them for 25 cents a bucket. Some parties came and offered us 37 

 cents. I made inquiry and found they wanted them for medicine, but I thought it was pretty 

 coarse medicine. I was acquainted with doctors, physicians, aud chemi4.ts, and I inquired about 

 cod-liver oil, and they told me that it had been used in France for some years and was getting 

 more common every day. Afterward I made a little oil and they said at Boston it was just as good 

 as they ever saw. 



I conceived the idea of going to Labrador to get cod livers, and Prof. Jeffries Wyman, Horatio 

 R. Stdrer, and Frank H. Storer went with me. We started in pursuit of objects of natural history 

 and the manufacture of medicinal cod-liver oil. It was late in the season, and most of the cod-fish- 

 ing was over. I carried two dories, I got 300 gallons of cod-liver oil. We then returned home, 

 and resorted to setting mackerel nets through the fall. My wife died while I was absent that 

 voyage. This was the commencement of my manufacture of cod-liver oil, and I have been engaged 

 in it ever since. I sold my smack when I came home, and in the spring of 1850 I bought the 

 schooner William Gray, 58 tons, and fitted for Labrador. The main object of the voyage was to 

 procure cod-liver oil. I carried 200 bushels of salt which I consumed on the codfish of my own 

 catch. We got 20 barrels of medicinal oil. Then I returned home about the middle of September. 



Daring that fall our fishermen were fishing for hake and pollock, and I commenced buying 

 them. I didn't fish myself. I made $200. My schooner was hauled up at this time. My brother 

 had a schooner, the Ned Buntline, and I went fishing for cod in the bay with him in the December 

 of 1850. We fished for halibut, and did very well. After I left the Ned Buntline there were some 

 men who wanted to go halibuting, and I told them if they were a mind to get the schooner off I 

 would go. They got her off and I put a new suit of sails on her and started about the early part 

 of April. I shipped my crew upon their own hooks. Every one had what he catched. I got 2,000 

 "weight of halibut and went to Boston and sold them for 2J cents a pound. We then went to Nan- 

 tucket Shoals, and we caught 67 halibut that day and they weighed 6,000 pounds. This was Thurs- 

 day, and the next day the wind struck us northeast and we went to Edgartown. Monday we came 

 out and by night we were off Chatham and we tried to get up by the Cape. The next morning it blew 

 heavy and I run down and run in after sounding on the shoal ground of Stellwagen Bank. Finally 

 we got here and anchored in Herring Cove. The wind increased that night and the next morning the 

 schooner dragged her anchor. Then I put on another and she dragged that too. Finally I put out 

 the chain anchor and that held her till the gale was over. That night Minot's Ledge Light was blown 

 over. I then went to Boston and found halibut in good demand. The first sold for 6 cents. Then I 

 sold some for 5 and sold the last for 1 cent a pound. We stocked about $120. I owned the whole 

 vessel and drew a quarter for her, so that I made a considerable good trip. After recruiting with 

 bait we started out again and the first day we caught 67 again, and the next day we caught about 60, 

 and the third day about 20 and started for Boston. Where I fished was in about 18 fathoms, Chat- 

 ham Light bearing northwest by west. We went to Boston and sold our halibut for 5 cents right 

 through. My share was $175. We were gone five days. Then we went one other trip down there 

 and got about $100. Then we came home and fitted for the Bay Chaleur, Gulf of Saint Lawrence. 



