672 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 
the stream pledge themselves to sell fish to citizens of the town at one-half acent apiece. Citizens 
of Harwich may purchase fish at a low price at the stream, which flows between that town and 
Dennis, every evening except Saturday, when the people of the latter town have the sole right. 
PRIVATE FISHERIES.—In addition to the public streams there are a number of others, owned 
and controlled by private parties. They are usually artificially formed, and connect ponds near 
the shore with the salt water. Such an one was opened at Waquoit about sixteen years ago, and 
more recently another at West Dennis. The fishery in these artificial brooks is quite as successful 
as that in the natural streams. 
METHODS OF CAPTURE.—At South Yarmouth a number of sweep-seines are employed exclu- 
sively for alewives. In 1877 four were used, but in 1878 only one. The men fish off Bass River, 
but are restrained by law from approaching within one-half mile from its mouth, because they 
would then affect the success of the fishery in the river. 
Large quantities of alewives, together with other species, are taken in the weirs and pounds, 
especially those located on the south shore of Cape Cod and north shore of Martha’s Vineyard. 
In the weirs of Chatham, and in certain others at Waquoit and Falmouth, in use only in spring, 
a very large proportion of the total catch consists of alewives, the remainder being principally 
menhaden and sea-herring. At Harwich and Falmouth a number of gill-nets are employed, in 
which considerable numbers of alewives are taken, together with two other species, sea-herring 
and menhaden. 
DIsSPOSITON OF CATOH.—The alewives taken in the streams are almost universally smoked or 
salted, while those taken in weirs and pounds are generally sold fresh to fishing vessels, to be used 
for bait. At Wellfleet they are salted and dried and sold in bulk, and the same is the case at 
West Dennis. About one-half the yield of the Bass River fisheries is pickled, and the remainder 
smoked. There are three smoke-houses near the pond, together worth about $100. Prior to 1879 
the alewives taken in the Centreville stream, in the town of Barnstable, were all pickled, but in 
1879 a considerable portion was sold to fishing vessels, and a few were smoked. The “catcher” at 
Sandwich usually smokes a few fish and sells them to the citizens. In Tisbury, one-tenth of the 
catch is reserved by the town and sold to pay for keeping the stream free from weeds. This tenth 
part of the catch is annually purchased by a certain dealer at Holmes Hole, who in turn sells the 
fish to fishing vessels for bait. At the Harwich River fisheries four men and five women are 
employed in salting the alewives. 7 
VALUE OF FISHERIES.—The fisheries of Wellfleet and Harwich and Bass River, which are 
leased at auction, bring different prices in different years, according to the competition among the 
bidders, and the apparent prospect of a large or small catch. Harwich River fishery was leased 
in the spring of 1879 for five years, at the rate of $600 per year. The average price paid for the 
Bass River fishery is $700, but large quantities of white perch are taken in this stream, the value 
of which is considerable. 
The price paid for alewives by fishing vessels is about 1 cent apiece, and of smoked alewives 
about the same. 
The total quantity of alewives taken in Barnstable County in 1879 was 1,150,295 pounds, 
valued, at $7,048. 
4, FISHERIES OF THE MERRIMAO RIVER. 
Of the two principal tributaries of the Merrimac, one—the western branch—rises in the 
White Mountains and forms a junction with the other—the eastern branch, which flows from Lake 
Wiunipiseogee—at the town of Plymouth. Prior to the erection of obstructions on the Merrimac 
