THE MENHADEN FISHERY. ond 
off from the sloop with our boats and rowed down to where we saw them playing ; and they were playing to the west, 
and to the east, and to the south, as far as we could see, just as fast as they were near us. So we rowed right in 
where they were playing and encircled as many as we could and caught about 75,000 the first set, after which we mado 
two more sets not so large. We sent the Accordeon, with 41,000 fish, and the Black Bird, with 59,000, to J. Applic’s 
factory, and we put 57,875 on the William Hatfield, which we took to the Atlantic Works, ax they were nearer. These 
were large eastern fish, and had just struck in the bay. There were about ten gangs fishing there that morning, and 
I think they all loaded their boats before night. It wasa pleasant day, but coolintheforenoon. Octuber 26th: It blew 
quite hard in the morning from the northwest, but it soon died out and we made a set just north of Crow Island 
Shoal, in Gardiner’s Bay. We pursed them up without any trouble, but when we came to take on the seine we found 
we had something. We found the fish had made three large “cods” and twisted the seine so we could not clear them. 
We worked a long time on them, and then we took the Black Bird alongside; took a boat-hook and hooked into the 
“cod,” pulled it up on the side of the Black Bird, and cut a Jarge hole in the seine, and nearly loaded her out of that 
“cod.” We served another “cod” the same way, and while we were attending to this, ‘Mr. Shark” made a hole in 
another “cod” and so saved us the trouble of scooping them. Then we cleared the seine and scooped what was left 
in the bunt. We were at work on them nearly all day and saved 44,00 fish, which we sent in the Black Bird, and 
12,000 in the Accordeon, to J. Applie’s factory. All the fish we have caught since the 18th of October have been fat 
eastern fish. 
The fish brought us $2.50 per thousand this year. In the fall they run $3 per thousand, and a few as high as $5 
per thousand. It was a hard matter to get a good cotton seine. I bought some for $1.35 per pound, and it was so 
poor and the knitting so bad that we would not think of using it now (1878) if we could get it for nothing. [I don’t 
recollect just what menhaden oil was bringing at this time, but I think it was $1 per gallon, perhaps a little more. ] 
1865. 
Painted the sloops and got the seine ready and commenced fishing May 31. June 27th: Sold 10,500 fish to a smack 
for $31.50. July 2lst to 28th: Fishing off Milford, Conn. September 29th: Went to Boston to see about getting a new 
seine; it was impossible to get a cotton seine without paying a very large price; so I bargained for a seine made of 
flax or hemp, and it was to be done so that I could have it soon, for our seine was getting very poor; got the seine 
October 30. 
1866. 
September 25th: We took off the sails and limed them. From that date to October 17 weather bad or fish 
scarce, so that there was no fishing. 
1867. 
As the Accgordeon was getting old and we saw the need of having a larger sloop, I have sold her and built a new 
sloop that will carry about 60,000, which I have named the U.S. Grant. I had her built near my house and moved 
her to the bay on big wheels. So now we have the William Hatfield to tow the seine and the U. 8. Grant and Black 
Bird for carry-away sloops. We have the sloops and boats ready, and on the 6th of May we put things on the William 
Hatfield and bent the sails on the U.S. Grant. May 7th: I sent to Riverhead for the U. 8. Grant’s anchors, and took 
the seine on board and had everything ready 1o go out fishing. We started out, thinking to go down to Greenport, 
but when we had sailed about half way to Robin’s Island we discovered a number of bunches of fish. They were not 
playing much, but we saw the color of them. Then we prepared the seine as soon as we could and went to work at 
them, We wade three sets, and caught about 20,000 each set. We sent 45,000 fish in the U. 8. Grant and 16,000 in the 
Black Bird to Jamesport for the farmers. A pleasant day; wind light,southeast. May 14th: Went out in Peconic 
Bay; caught 22,400 fish, which we sent in the Black Bird to Hallett’s Works. We came into Jamesport and came to 
anchor and hauled the seines out on deck, as we are iu the habit of doing, to allow the air to come to, it to prevent its 
heating. We had one of the greatest hail-storms I ever witnessed ; the hail-stones were four or five inches deep ia some 
places next morning. Saw no fish again till the 22d, but we caught none till the 27th of May. 
October 15th: We started out of Gardiner’s Bay; it was a pleasant morning. 
There was one gang a mile or two to the east of us; and about sunrise we saw them drop off and set the seine; 
when we came up to them the captain called out to me and said, ‘‘They are large eastern fish”; and about that 
time the man at mast-head cried out, “‘I can see them off to the east, playing as thick as rain-drops”; and we could 
soon see them from the deck (just after sunrise you can see fish a long way off to the eastward). In a little while we 
cawe up with them. It was a large, solid body of fish and showed a good color. We dropped off from the sloop and 
went around just one end of the body and commenced pursing. We pursed the seine without much trouble and 
took it on, running the fish all in the bunt; but when the carry-away came alongside, and we tried to get them up, 
so as to scoop, we found we could not raise them. As the wind was light we got both sloops alongside and had carry- 
away men to help us, but still we were not able to bring them up; then we lashed a pole on the scoop-net handle, but 
the fish were so far down we could make no headway in hoisting them out. At last the wind breezed up from the 
northwest, and the bunt, not being able to stand so heavy a strain, began to rip, when we were obliged to slack the 
seine down and let the fish out; there were four or five good shoals went out. One gang came along and caught one 
shoal and nearly loaded his boats. After all had run out that would, we raised up enough to make 49,100 fish, which 
