[61] OPERATIONS OF SCHOONER GRAMPUS. 551 



The bid of William F. Green & Son proved to be the most advan- 

 tageous to the Government, and accordingly the contract was awarded 

 them. 



Having completed and sent out the specifications and invitations for 

 bids for coppering the vessel, 1 left Gloucester on October 15 for Wash- 

 ington, in compliance with instructions from the Commissioner. As is 

 usual before leaving the vessel, I placed her under the command of the 

 first officer, with instructions to act in accordance with orders sent him 

 from Washington from time to time. 



Mention may be made that, while at Gloucester on the Gth of October, 

 I made an examination of Ten Pound Island, in compliance with the 

 request of Col. Marshall McDonald, and reported to him on October 7 

 the condition of the island and its suitability as a site for a hatchery for 

 marine fishes, and suggested that the northeast part of the island 

 would be the most suitable location for a hatchery. 



On November 9 I was again ordered to proceed to Gloucester, in com- 

 pany with Colonel McDonald, for special duty in connection with the 

 establishment of a fish hatchery at Ten Pound Island, after which I was 

 to return to Washington. 



The Grampus left Gloucester on November 12 to go to Boston for the 

 purpose of being coppered. She was taken on the marine railway at 

 East Boston on the 14th. On the same day I went to Boston for the 

 purpose of inspecting the vessel before the work of coppering her was 

 begun. Having made satisfactory airangements and given instruc- 

 tions to the contractors, I left Boston the same afternoon and arrived 

 in Washington the following day. 



The contractors finished coppering the vessel on November 18, and 

 immediately after she went to Gloucester, arriving there on the after- 

 noon of that day. 



The schooner remained at Gloucester until the 21st, when she sailed 

 for Wood's Holl, which place she reached on the 23d. She lay at 

 Wood's Holl until November 26. In the mean time the summer suit of 

 sails was unbent and the winter sails put in their place; the foretop- 

 mast was sent down and various other changes were made in her outfit 

 and equipment. As soon as this necessary work had been performed 

 the vessel left Wood's Holl for Gloucester, where she arrived on the 

 afternoon of November 27. 



B.-COLLECTING LIVE FISH. 



It was intended that the Grampus should at once enter upon the 

 work of collecting live codfish for the purpose of propagation. But, 

 because of the scarcity of bait, she was unable to commence active 

 operations until the 4th of December, In the interim every effort was 

 made to obtain bait from other towns, but none could be secured until 

 the evening of December 3, when a supply was received from Prov- 

 incetown. 



