[11] OPERATIONS OF SCHOONER GRAMPUS. 501 



at 8.25 a. in. and started for Toulinguet, going through Stag Harbor 

 Run. We took in tow the boat of the keeper of the light-house at Oann 

 Island, who was going to Fogo. The passage through Stag Harbor 

 Run was made without difficulty, after which we beat up between Fogo 

 and Change Islands until we could lay our course to windward of the 

 latter. Anchored at Toulinguet at 3.50 p. in. The object of visiting 

 this place, which is the largest town on the northeast coast of New- 

 foundland, was to make inquiries concerning the appearance of mack- 

 erel at White Bay and elsewhere along the northeastern coast and to 

 get information which it was important to have concerning other fishery 

 matters in this section. 



In the evening we visited the mail-steamer Plover, which had just ar- 

 rived from Labrador, and made inquiries of her captain concerning the 

 abundance of cod, mackerel, etc., at the points he had recently visited. 

 I learned that all the fisheries of Labrador and northeastern New- 

 foundland had been so utterly unremunerative up to that date that it 

 was feared the fishermen might meet with absolute failure for the 

 entire season. 



During our stay at this place many visitors came on board. Informa- 

 tion was telegraphed to the Acting Commissioner of our arrival and in- 

 tended departure the next day. It was, however, impracticable to get 

 away on the 27th as planned, since a calm prevailed during the entire 

 day. Attempts were made to collect specimens of local fauna, but with 

 little or no success. 



The wind on the following morning was a gentle southwest to south 

 by west breeze, increasing to a stiff breeze and then decreasing. We 

 filled away and ran out of Toulinguet Harbor at 4.05 in the morning, 

 steering a course to clear Cape St. John's, which point we passed at 

 11.45 a. m., going between the cape and Gull Island. We then steered 

 for Partridge Point. The wind was light in the afternoon, and at 4 

 o'clock, when off Bay Verte, we hove-to and threw toll-bait for mackerel; 

 also put out cod hand-lines for bottom fish, but were unsuccessful. 

 While making this trial for fish the trading schooner Phoenix, of Toulin- 

 guet, was seen standing off-shore towards us. Messrs. Baxter and 

 Lucas boarded her, and learned that no mackerel had been seen in 

 White Bay during the summer. 



The news of the absence of mackerel at White Bay caused a change 

 in my plans, and instead of going to Fleur de Lis Harbor, it was deter- 

 mined to run for Canada Bay, where we had been informed mackerel 

 are sometimes seen, and where also it was thought information con- 

 cerning the cod-fishery might be obtained. 



Failing to catch mackerel or cod, we got under way again at 5 p. m., 

 but in less than two hours afterwards the wind fell away to a calm, and 

 light baffling winds and calms continued during the night. All of the 

 morning and early afternoon of the 29th there were light, unsteady 

 cat's-paws and calms, with fog. There were occasional partially clear 



