THE JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 641 
1786. 
February 11: James Brown, Wm. Key, Wn. Singleton, John Gregory, and Chas. Taylor to fish at Wood’s Island 
every Sunday night (same terms as above); Sam’l Edmunds & Co., Monday do.; Jas. Edmunds & Co., Tuesday do. ; 
Thos. Jopling & Co., Wednesday do; Killis Wright, Thursday do.; Wm. Walton, Friday do.; James Mathews, Moses 
Ray, John Bibb, &c., &c., on same terms, &c., &c., at Swift Island fishery. 
March 29: At night hauled the seine but caught no fish; Wood’s Island. March 30: Caught 3 shad; the first. 
March 31: Caught 9 shad; the evening very wet and windy. 
April 14: Caught 180 shad at the Swift Island; the first this seasun. April 15: Caught 177 shad at the Wood’s 
Island fishery. April 16: Caught 930 shad at the Swift Island fishery. pril 17: Caught 500 shad at the Wood’s 
Island fishery. April 13: James Mathews caught 1,262 shad at my Swift Island fishery ; James Edmunds caught 
680 shad at my upper fishery (Wood’s I.). April 19: Thos, Jopling, jr., John Ball & Co., 1,203 shad at my upper 
fishery (Woo0d’s Island); Wm. Johnson & Co., 1,304 shad at my fishery (Swift Island). 
May 4: Paid Nathan Ward 30 shillings pr. order of Rich’d Murrow jr. for netting one-half the seine at the Swift 
Islands. 
1787. 
March 25: Yesterday and to-day about 300 shad were caught at my Swift Island fishery. 
April 8: Caught a shad at my fishery on Wood’s Island which weighed 8} Ibs. good weight. 
May 14: Declined hauling the seine ; having from the 25th of March been engaged in that business with out ever 
being interrupted by rain or high water. A most excellent season for fishing. 
August 14: Sent Dr. Geo. Gilmer a bbl. of pickle shad (150) by his man John. 
October 6: In the morning took a rockfish out of our traps that weighed 12 lbs. 
1788. 
February 14: John Bibb to fish at my Swift Island fishery every eighth night during the season, with a good gang, 
&c. (other contracts as above). 
April 4: Caught 18 shad at the Swift I.; the first this season. 
May 16: John Boush failed to fish at night, the river and weather favorable, and fish plenty. James Mathews 
failed at Swift Island, do. 
1789. 
March 29: At night caught 12 shad at Wood’s I.; the first this season. March 30: At night caught 52 shad at 
Wood's I.; at night caught 330 shad at Swift Island. 
April 2: At night caught 709 shad at Swift Island. . 
September 29: Let out fish-traps and caught a few small fish in the night. 
1790, 1791. 
March 27,1790: Begun to catch shad. 
May 15,1791: Declined fishing, very few being caught, tho’ very good. A very unfavorable season for fishing, 
the river having been very low. 
1792. 
April 2: Caught the first shad this season. April 28: Just beginning to catch fish, having been prevented by 
high water, except two nights, in the course of the season. 
May 3: Caught at Wood’s I. 1,016 shad last evening. May 16: Edward Harding and his co. failed to fish at 
Swift Island ; the fish very good, and upward of 100 caught by the proceeding company. May 20: Declined haul- 
ing the seine at Wood’s I. When we caught upwards of 100 a night, and some of them tolerable good. May 25: At 
night, old Mr. Smith hauled his seine at Wood’s I. and caught upward of 100 shad, which were mostly tolerably good. 
September 29: Set our fish-trap, but the dam not secure. 
1793. 
March 24: At night caught 70 or 80 shad at Woods I.; might have caught several days sooner had the river not 
been too high. 
November 5: Caught a rockfish in the Swift Island trap which weighed 16 lbs. 
1794. 
March 21: Began to catch fish. 
May 15: Declined hauling my seine, having caught none of any consequence for some days past; it has been a 
very bad season for fishing altogether. 
SEC V—41 
