390 BLUE-MSHING. 



with him on the same vessel, and as the Commis- 

 sioner remained up later, he took occasion to remark 

 to me when his companion was asleep: "Iliaye 

 shown Mr. Green my rig for blue-fishing to-day, 

 and you observed how much more successful it was 

 than his which he had copied from fresh-water fish- 

 ing. I will explain it all to you to-morrow, and you 

 must not forget how it is arranged, for it will catch 

 twice as many fish as any plan you ever saw." So 

 I felt safe about my future success as an angler. 



Next day was devoted to resting and the acquisi- 

 tion of information. The Commissioner sat on the 

 deck, made sketches, expounded learned theories 

 on fish and fishing, and discoursed at length on his 

 favorite hobby, the resources and attractions of 

 Long Island. The Superintendent in the mean- 

 while rowed ashore with all the nets, large and 

 small, and their number was by no means limited, 

 and a boatman to help him. He drew the larger 

 nets in the open water, he chased kilUes up and 

 down the creeks with the smaller ones, he made a 

 catch of what he persisted in calling white-bait, but 

 which was contemptuously designated by the Com- 

 missioner as spearing; he helped the owners of the 

 pounds, that were stationed in the neighborhood, 

 draw them, rather to their discomfort, as they looked 

 upon him as a natural enemy to their calling. He 

 went to the light-house and ascended to the top and 

 studied the lights, and suggested a half dozen new 

 and improved plans of running the system. He 

 stopped in at the life-saving station on his return; 



