[19] OPERATIONS OF SCHOONER GRAMPUS. 509 



During the forenoon I met Commander Wakebam, of the La Carta- 

 dienne, and Lieutenant Gordon, K. N., commanding the Canadian steam 

 cruiser Acadia, and a little later both gentlemen came on board to visit 

 the Grampus. 



At 4 p. m. the yacht Ruth, of New York, homeward bound from a 

 cruise in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, anchored near us. Soon after we 

 got under way and beat to the southward through the Strait, the tide 

 at this time being favorable. Toward sunset the wind decreased and 

 the sky had a threatening appearance, which indicated a storm. There- 

 fore, as the wind was ahead, we anchored at 7.15 p. m. under Eddy 

 Point near the iight-house, and laid there for the night. The schooner 

 Pioneer, of Gloucester, which was also homeward bound, anchored near 

 us and two of her crew came on board. 



On the morning of the 25th the wind was fresh from east-southeast 

 with thick rain and indications of a heavy gale.* At 5.15 a. m. got 

 under way aud ran to Port Hawksbury, where we anchored at 7 a. m. 



In the harbor lay several American mackerel seiners which had come 

 there for shelter. During the forenoon Captain Whitman, of the 

 schooner Grade C. Young, of Eockland, Me., came on board to learn 

 the news about mackerel in northern waters. 



The weather remained unfavorable until the 27th, when we got 

 under way at 6.45 a. m. and ran across to Causo Harbor, where we 

 anchored at 9.30 a. m. In the harbor was a fleet of forty or fifty fishing 

 vessels, among them many American mackerel schooners bound home. 

 The sea resulting from the recent gale was excessively heavy along the 

 coast and broke with tremendous force on the ledges outside of Canso 

 Harbor. This kept the fleet from leaving, though the wind was fresh 

 from west-northwest. In the afternoon the wind veered to the north- 

 west, still blowing a fresh breeze. We got under way at 12.45 p. m.^ and 

 ran out of the harbor, passing Roaring Bull Ledge at 1.40 p. m. Out- 

 side, the sea was high and steep, causing the vessel to pitch somewhat 

 heavily as she headed directly into it. Several of the fishing schooners 

 left about the same time, and the yacht Ruth started a little later. Be- 

 fore we reached the vicinity of White Head we ran out of the north- 

 west wind and into a light unsteady breeze from southwest to west- 

 southwest. 



The passage home was uneventful. We arrived at Wood's Holl at 

 7.14 p. m. on September 1, and anchored oif the Fish Commission wharf 

 for the night. On the following day the vessel was moored alongside 

 the wharf and the collections were taken on shore and packed for ship- 

 ment. I telegraphed Mate D. E. Collins, who was at Gloucester, to 

 join the vessel, which he did that evening. 



On September 3 I went to Gloucester, where I remained until the 7th. 



* Duriug the day a heavy hurricane occurred oif the southern coast of Nova Scotia, 

 but, while it blew strong iu the Strait of Canso, the wind did not reach hurricane 

 velocity. 



