LESSEE HALIBUT. 
419 
when solitary specimens have been taken, or when they 
have been seen at the surface in flight from the Green- 
land sea], in the stomach of which specimens have been 
found, or from the white whale (Delphinaptcrus leucas). 
However, the Lesser Halibut is now (1857) taken almost 
exclusively in two places, the ice-fjord of Jakobshavn 
and Omenak Fjord, and in each of these inlets on cer- 
tain banks alone. In Jakobshavn Fjord these banks lie 
within the opening and within the shallows which are 
continually occupied by the very largest icebergs; but 
there is another fishing-bank, which is, however, in less 
repute, outside the opening. In the month of January 
the Esquimaux cut holes at certain spots in the ice, 
and fish with hook and line at a depth of 350, or even, 
it is asserted, 380 fathoms. The line is generally made 
of thin twine or, still better, of whalebone, for with 
a line of this material it is easier to feel the bite, and 
thus much time is spared which would be lost if the 
fisherman were doubtful whether he had a bite or no. 
The most important point on which the success of this 
fishery depends, lies in the different positions taken by 
the icebergs before they are ice-bound and the fjord 
freezes. Sometimes large icebergs collect on the banks 
or round them, and thus render the fishery quite im- 
possible -or very dangerous, as the icebergs “ calve (split 
into smaller pieces)", and the fisherman is compelled to 
stay close to them for long periods during the fishery. 
The Esquimaux are incredibly skilful in making their 
way along this treacherous fjord, the opening of which, 
on account of the large bank covered with icebergs, is 
of the same character as the innermost parts of other 
ice-fjords, at the verge of the solid land-ice. Thus, in 
1851, a most unfavourable year to the Halibut-fishery, 
the Esquimaux might be seen, surrounded half by open 
water and half by icebergs, on ice that was partly 
broken up by the “calving' of the icebergs and partly 
worn away by the current, and at spots which it seemed 
physically impossible for a human foot to reach. In 
addition to the difficulties thrown in the way of the 
Halibut-fishery by the icebergs, it is also supposed that 
the Halibuts are driven away by white whales (Delphl- 
napt eras leucas), and it is not much use fishing as long 
as these dolphins rove in the open water outside the 
opening of the fjord. \\ hen the circumstances are 
favourable, one person may catch 10 Halibuts a day- 
on an average or, in exceptionally fortunate cases, 18, 
and the fishery inav begin in January and go on to 
the middle of March; but in other years it hardly lasts 
a week, and its average duration is probably hardly 
more than a month. In unfavourable seasons hardh 
more than 2 — 4 fish are taken daily on each line. On 
the other side of the ice-fjord, off Claushavn, the fishery 
is carried on in exactly the same wav; but scarcely 
more than 20 fishermen are engaged at the same time. 
The Halibuts weigh on an average between 5 and 0 
kgm. and seldom more than 10 kgm. They are very 
fat and are much liked by the Esquimaux. They are 
also very well adapted for purposes of curing when cut 
into slices and dried. On account of their great fatness 
tile’s" yield excellent train-oil. When the catch of seals 
is scanty, the Halibut can thus supply not only food but 
also the most necessary article for purposes of domestic 
warming and lighting. In Omenak Fjord the species is 
found on numerous banks, scattered about at some 
distance from each other. Every inhabited place has 
one or more banks at a distance of less than 3 miles 
if we except the outermost part of the fjord, off Niak- 
ornak, where the banks are very few. In Omenak 
Fjord the depth of the water fished is only slightly 
more than 200 fathoms; and here the fisherman is less 
exposed to the danger of the banks' being covered by 
icebergs. But in this' fjord the Halibuts are smaller 
and less plentiful than in the ice-fjord of Jakobs- 
havn. 
On the American side of the Atlantic the range 
of the Lesser Halibut thus extends, as far as we know, 
from Omenak to Cape Cod (between Lats. 71° and 
42° N.); on the east side of the Atlantic is seems to 
go farther north, at least to about the 73rd degree of 
latitude ^ but not so far south, perhaps not much south 
of the 70th degree of latitude. Its bathymetric exten- 
sion is between about 60 and 450 fathoms. 
“ Cf. the expression to “cave in.” 
h The Norwegian Arctic Expedition found it at a depth of 447 fathoms, in hit. 72' 57' N., long. 1 4 .42’ E. 
composed of gray clay, and the temperature at the bottom was 3 0 ' 5 (i ’ Fahr. 
The bottom was 
