242 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
BAD WEATHER ENCOUNTERED. 
From April 22 to May 2 we encountered very bad weather, which 
operated unfavorably to the mackerel fishery. During all this time 
there was but one day when the conditions were favorable for the 
schooling of fish at the surface. The schools that we observed during 
this time were almost invariably too deep to be seined, and it is quite 
probable that the great mass of the fish passed northward unobserved. 
In the region traversed by us the schooling fish were seen principally 
at night, and we could not tell with certainty whether they were 
mackerel alone or a mixture of several species. 
Our last cruise was marked also to a large extent by bad weather, 
cold easterly and southeasterly winds, with fog. The result of this un 
propitious weather was a very light catch and an unprofitable fishery. 
THE FLEET. 
During our first cruise we observed as many as fifty sail all in sight 
at the same time. The majority of these vessels had been on the grounds 
fully six weeks? and yet their catch up to the 1st of May scarcely 
amounted to a good fare for a single vessel. During the second cruise 
we never saw more than fifty vessels at one time, and the bulk of the 
fleet were rarely in the centers of abundance of fish. On the 11th of 
May we counted fourteen vessels, extending in a semi-circle from south 
east to northwest, the most distant ones being 6 or 7 miles from us. 
May 12, in latitude 38° 34', longitude 74° 15', we counted forty-four 
sail. 
May 13, in latitude 37° 48', longitude 74° 13', there were eleven sail 
in sight, several of which caught mackerel measuring from 11 to 13£ 
inches, in quantities ranging up to about 200 barrels. 
May 14, at noon, in latitude 38° 09', longitude 74° 25', forty sail were 
counted from aloft. 
May 15 the Grampus was on her way to Delaware Breakwater, and 
during that evening, before the moon rose, we sailed through great 
masses of fish about 15 miles to the southward of Five Fathom Bank 
light- ship. We had left the majority of the fleet far to the southward, 
and only two vessels were catching fish as we came along. We then 
went into Delaware Breakwater, where we were detained several days, 
and after starting upon the final cruise we saw only occasional fisher- 
men until in the evening of May 23, in latitude 40° 19', longitude 73° 
06', thirteen sail were in sight all jogging. On this day we spoke a 
pilot-boat, which reported a fleet May 20 of about twenty-five sail 30 
miles southeast from Barnegat in the midst of an abundance of fish ; 
but foggy weather interfered with the fishing. We then cruised along 
in the waters off Long Island, lying to at night and using our nets 
whenever the weather permitted. 
May 24 we were obliged to make a harbor in Fort Pond Bay, eastern 
