230 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
We remained at Delaware Breakwater until May 5. The prevailing 
wind in the interim was from the eastward and unfavorable for going 
to sea. 
On May 3 the schooner M. 8. Ayres , of Gloucester, passed the break- 
water on her way to Philadelphia, having on board a fare of 70 barrels 
of fresh mackerel, which had been caught on the nights of the 1st and 
2d of May, southeast by south 60 miles from Cape Heulopen. The cap- 
tain said that ouly one other vessel of the fleet of forty sail of schooners 
caught any fish at the time that he took his. 
May 5 began with pleasant weather and moderate easterly winds, but 
in the afternoon a dense fog came on and the wind veered from north- 
east to east. We got under way at 11 a. m., and, leaving the break- 
water, we headed offshore for the fishing ground, steering a southeast 
course after passing Cape Heulopen, until 7.25 p. in., when the head 
sails were hauled down and we hove to for the night. 
The following day (May 6) the wind was from the southeast in the 
morning, veering southerly as the day advanced. 
At 8.25 a. m., hove to, to “ try ” for mackerel with “toll-bait” (lat. 
38° 09' N., long. 74° 06' W.) ; caught no fish. 
At 8.50 a. m., got under way steering southeast, which course was 
continued until 11 a. in., when it was changed, and until 5.35 p. m. the j 
vessel made a course nearly north-northeast. Only one fishing vessel 
was seen during the day, and she was heading in a southerly direction. 
At 5.35 p. in., hove to, to u try” for fish, but did not “raise” any (lat. 
38° 43'N., long. 73° 48' W.). We then hoisted the head sails, and put 
out the large towiug-uet, which was towed for forty minutes. There 
were several specimens of young hake and pollock and other forms of 
marine life taken in it. 
May 7, the wind was southeasterly, varying from a light to fresh 
breeze, the weather generally clear with intervals of fog and haze. 
At 1 a. in., set one mackerel and one herring gill-net (lat. 38° 52' JN., 
long. 73° 40' W.). Hauled the nets at 5 a. m., but found no fish in them. 
At 10 a. m., in lat. 39° 12' 1ST., long. 73° 22' W., tried to “raise” mack- 
erel with “toll bait,” but failed. At 3 p. in., made another attempt with 
the same results, in lat. 39° 20' long. 73° 08 7 W. Hand-lines were also 
put out in the last- mentioned position and one codfish was caught. At 
5.30 p. in., got under way and steered west-southwest, which course was 
changed to southwest later in the day. At 11.45 p. m., hove to for the 
night with head sails to windward. 
May 8, there was a moderate breeze from south-southeast. 
At 4.45 a. m., filled away and steered a SW. J S. course. At 10.28 
a. in., hove to for mackerel, but “ raised ” nothing. During the morning 
a steamer, which resembled in appearance the fishing steamer Novelty , 
passed us to the northeast. 
At 1 p. m. we spoke with the fishing schooner Neponset , of Boston, 
and her captain said that he had recently spoken with the steamer 
