H.—lsb

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1 trumpeter, 1 yellow-tail, and •'! sea-perch. The lines were no sooner on the bottom than tha fish took the bait, and blue-cod and hapuka were often pulled up two and three at a time. No dogfish, sharks, or skate were taken, all fish caught being marketable, the blue-cod being of large size and in the best of condition. The two boats were again sent away at 1.30 p.m., three men being kept on board to clean the morning's catch. Boats returned at 4 p.m. loaded to the gunwale with blue-ood and groper. The results of to-day's lining are remarkably good considering our ignorance of local conditions, and the fact that most of the men are as yet inexperienced in blue-cod fishing. The total result of to-day's catch is GO6 blue-cod, lO.'i hapuka, 3 sea-perch, 1 trumpeter, and 1 yellowtail. The set-nets put down did not produce good results. August I. —Station 69: Took in the boats and hove up anchor at daylight to test the ground to the E. and N. of the Islands. Steered N.W. of Cape Fournier, and at 1.5 p.m. the trawl net was dropped in 15 fathoms on a fine-sand-and-shell bottom. Hauled up at 2.25 p.m. in 25 fathoms. The result was a very striking bag of about 2 tons of swimming-crabs, 10 sacks of crayfish, 21 Ijinon soles, and a number of megrim, tarakihi, and gurnard. The crayfish were of a very large siae, and it is rather a peculiar fact that all of them were males. Station 70: At 2.40 p.m. steered E.N.E. towards deeper water, and shot the net at 3.20 p.m., and towed north. The bottom throughout the haul was good trawling-ground. At 4.25 p.m. hauled up, in 45 fathoms. A very fair bag resulted from this haul, consisting of 105 tarakihi, a number of lemon soles, megrim, skate, &c. This bay will probably prove very remunerative in certain seasons. The bottom is an ideal one for trawling, consisting of yellow sand and shell. Tarakihi are found here, as in Petre Bay, in about 30 fathoms, and the results of to-day's fishinghave been practically the same, "depth for depth, as in Petre Bay. August 2. —A long easterly swell making trawling somewhat risky in Hanson Bay, we proceeded at daylight towards Pitt Island to test the line fishi,ng. Lines were put down in Flower-pot Bay at 9.30 a.m., but the bottom being sandy no fish wen , taken. Steamed towards Rabbit Island, where the lines were put down a little to the north of the reef. Blue-cod began to be taken at once, two, three, and four on a line. They were of very large size, and in excellent condition, the result up to noon, of nine lines, Iwing about \\ tons of blue-cod. Shifted at noon to Little Mangere Island, but the water was found very deep close up to the cliff, and the bottom sandy. We therefore steamed back, and recommenced fishing ofi Rabbit Island. By this time a strong ebb tide had set in, making fishing very awkward. A southerly wind was also freshening. A boat was sent closer inshore containing four Pitt-Islanders, and being out of the strength of the tide they were able to work their lines with greater facility. The boat returned at 3.45 p.m. with 230 very large blue-cod as the result of an hour and a half's fishing with four lines. Stopped fishing at 4 p.m. for the night, and dropped anchor near Flower-pot Bay. The result of this day's fishing was 2 hapuka, 3 sea-perch, and 860 blue-cod, weighing about a ton when headed and cleaned. August S. —A strong S.W. wind had arisen during the night, with a falling glass, so wo left the Flower-pot at daylight for Port Hutt, this being the only safe anchorage, for the purpose of shifting coal from the hold to the bunkers, and to do more line and set-net fishing. Commenced fishing from the steamer off Port Hutt at 11.40 a.m. Ceased fishing for the day at 3.30 p.m., the result being 520 large blue-cod and 5 hapuka, the latter weighing up to 65 lb. Anchored in Port Hutt for the night. Put down three set-nets from 3 in. to 7 in. mesh at entrance to bay. August 4- —Sunday. Lay at anchor in Port Hutt. Strong S.S.W. wind and high sea off the Heads. The result of the three set-nets was 10 very large warehou, 4 moki, and 3 tarakihi. August s. —Commenced to shift coal, make up trawls, &c. Took up set-nets at 7 a.m., result being 11 butter-fish, 4 tarakihi, 1 hapuka, 6 moki, 2 sharks, and 5 parrot-fish. Despatched a boat at 9.30 a.m. for line-fishing, but there was a heavy sea on, and only 80 blue-cod were taken. A boat was despatched at 1 p.m., but returned at 3 p.m. with only 2 fish after fishing for an hour. Several large sharks were seen, one fully 20 ft. long, and their presence, together with the heavy sea"and discoloured water, will, no doubt, account for no fish being caught. Reset nets at 5 p.m. r, August 6. —Hove up anchor at 7 a.m., took in boats, and commenced fishing from the steamer at 9 a.m., moving slowly along the coast in an easterly direction. Steamed across Petre Bay at noon to try line fishing off the Ngaio coast. Ceased fishing for the day at 3.40 p.m., and steamed into Waitangi Harbour for provisions. Total catch for the day was about 400 large blue-ood, 19 hapuka, 1 barracouta, and 2 sea-perch. Anchored off Waitangi for the night. August 7. —Left Waitangi 11.45 a.m. for Wellington. Put down lines off West Reef from "J. I 5 to 2.45 p.m., the result of the half-hour's fishing being 10 hapuka and 70 very large blue-cod, most of which averaged 8 Ib., with an occasional specimen up to 91b. The hapuka weighed up to 65 Ib. Steered towards Wellington at 2.45 p.m., taking several soundings up to 5 p.m., all of which indicated good trawling-ground. Mr. Waite's bucket dredge was put down here in 95 fathoms, fine-sand bottom, but only a very poor sample was hauled up: whilst the vessel was stopped for this purpose three fishing lines were bent together, and one blue-cod and one very large trumpeter were caught. August B. —Strong northerly wind and falling glass. August 9. —Arrived in Wellington at 6 p.m. August 10 and 11. —Coaling alongside wharf in Wellington. August 12.~ Station 71 : Left at 10.15 a.m., Pencarrow abeam at 11.30, steered S. x W. \ W. This ground has been trawled over before, but not recently, so shot the net at 11.45 a.m. in 28 fathoms, bottom fine sand and shell. Towed S.W. \ W., and shortly after 1 p.m. the net fouled, and was hauled up very badly torn, only a few lemon sole, skate, moki, &c, being taken. Took a number of soundings, these showing rock bottom and unsuitable ground for trawling. Steamed into Palliser Bay, indications of trawling-ground becoming better. Dropped anchor for the night at east side of Palliser Bay.