78 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 
set the light sails. All hands busy this morning clearing the ice off the deck and rigging. The 
sky overcast all day. There was a moderate breeze all day from SE. to SSE., and the barometer 
remained steady. Our position at 4 p.m. by dead reckoning was 42° 32/ north latitude and 57° 2/ 
west longitude. At 7 p. m. the wind had increased to such a smart breeze that we took in the 
light sails. The latter part of this p.m. there was a strong whole sail breeze, as much wind as our 
vessel could swing her three lower sails to. 
Wednesday, January 29, 1879.—There was a good whole sail breeze the first of this a.m. The 
morning broke red in the east, but overcast elsewhere. Barometer falling; on 29.85 at 6.30 a. m. 
The wind at this time was SE. and freshening, and our schooner had all she could stagger under. 
We double reefed the mainsail and took the bonnet out of the jib at 7.30 a.m. The wind blew steady 
and strong all the forenoon, but lulled some at noon and backed a trifle to the eastward; rain and 
hail showers. At 3.30 p. m. we changed the color of the water from dark blue to a whitish green. 
We shot-to in the wind and sounded, but got no bottom with 150 fathoms out. The wind fresh- 
ened again at 1 p. m., and all the afternoon it blew steady and strong, accompanied with rain and 
hail. We tacked at 4.45 p.m. and headed to the southward, with our port tacks aboard. Barom- 
eter at 8.30 p. m., 29.60. At11p.m., the wind having veered some to the southward, we tacked 
again, and headed to the eastward on the starboard tack. 
Thursday, January 30, 1879.—The first part of this a. m. there was little or no wind, but as 
the barometer was down to 29.50 I expected a change to the westward; therefore I concluded to 
leave the reef in the mainsail until after breakfast, when, a light breeze having sprung up from the 
SW., we set the whole mainsail and staysail. At 8 a. m. saw a four-masted steamer going to the 
westward. Our position at noon was 44° 17’ north latitude and 54° 30/ west longitude. Barometer 
at noon, 29.40. When the men learned the position they began sharpening their bait knives and 
fixing other things preparatory to setting the trawls. Longitude at 3.20 p. m., 53°46’ W. Barom- 
eter at 7.30 p. m., 29.55, at which time there was a fine southwest breeze, but later the wind mod- 
erated. We sounded at 10 p. m. in 110 fathoms, but as there were no vessels in sight we hauled 
to nearly by the wind and steered SSE., along the western edge of the Grand Bank. 
Friday, January 31, 1879.—The early part of this a. m. it was calm. At 6 a. m. light 
WNW. breeze. Barometer, 29.40. We sounded at 6 o’clock in 65 fathoms, and soon after we 
saw two fishing vessels (one under sail and the other at anchor) to the SW. of us. We hauled aft 
our sheets and steered for the one at anchor, which proved to be the Magic. I spoke her. The 
skipper reported halibut very scarce on all parts of the Bank where he had tried or had heard 
from. He told me that the schooner under sail was the William Thompson. We saw two more 
vessels at anchor to the NNW., just in sight. We set the staysail and worked up to them; they 
were the Addison Center and A. M. Williams. I went aboard of the Center. She lay in 160 
fathoms. The skipper told me that he got 7,000 pounds of halibut yesterday, but only 500 pounds 
to-day, and he was going to get under way and shift his position. He says that there has been 
plenty of fish here, and their present scarcity proves that they are on the move, as they usually 
are at this season. He also said that all the fleet had left the southern part of the Bank, and 
thinks many of them have gone farther to the northward. I had previously formed the same 
opinions in regard to the movements of the vessels and fish. So after a brief stay I returned to’ 
our vessel, filled away, and stood to the northward again. At noon we spoke the Alice M. Williams 
at anchor in 170 fathoms, and soon after the Gatherer in 160 fathoms. Both of them had done very 
poorly and were heaving up their anchors. These vessels were anchored from latitude 44° (where 
the Magic lay) to about 44° 8’ (where the Gatherer lay). We spoke the George W. Stetson at 1.50 
p. m. in 80.fathoms, and about 44° 17’ latitude. She was heaving up, too, not having taken any fish 
