300 SCOMBEROIDES. 



If your patience i3 not too far tested already by this long 

 fish story, there is another circumstance which may be inter- 

 esting to you. I am not sufficiently versed in ictbyology to 

 be positive, but believe it to be generally understood, that the 

 mackerel which disappear from our coasts in the fall, run to 

 the northward, and remain during the winter under the ice. 

 I have not the presumption to assert that this is not the case, 

 but leave you to judge how far the following facts may go to 

 disprove such a position. On the 10th Nov. 1831, we were 

 sailing at the rate of five knots per hour to the northeastward, 

 when we were passed by an immense shoal of mackerel, 

 swimming in a southeast direction. They first came in sight 

 about 10, A. M. and continued passing till after 11= They 

 would not take the hook. There were hundreds of dolphin 

 in pursuit, by whom they were sometimes driven almost on 

 board. 



This was in lat. 44° north, long 39° SO' west. Supposing 

 its progress to have been at the rate of six miles per hour, 

 which it must have been at least, the shoal was about seven 

 miles in extent from northwest to southeast — their breadth 

 was far as the eye could discern on both sides.* On coupling 



* The following extract is a corroboration of Capt. Couthouy's 

 remark, that they go in immense shoals. 



" This fish," says the Newburyport Herald, of 1831, f« was 

 never more abundant in our bay than on Sunday, Monday, 

 and Tuesday of this week. A solid shoal of miles in extent, 

 lay outside of our harbor, within twelve miles, and gave in- 

 cessant occupation and fine sport to a large fleet of mackerel- 

 men. The number of craft engaged was supposed to be 

 about three hundred. We have already stated that one ves- 

 sel took, in a single day, seventy barrels. On Wednesday, 

 the shoal had disappeared." 



" A mackerel, three feet ten inches long, and measuring 

 eighteen and a half inches round the body, was caught in Sev- 

 ern River, near Round bay, on Saturday last, and was ser- 



