H.—lsb

15

were also present in small numbers. Ceased fishing at 4 p.m., the fore deck being full of fish, and the crew not being able to keep pace in cleaning them. This day's catch totalled 135 cases for 6 hours and 20 minutes' trawling, of which 84 cases were schnapper, 46 tarakihi, and the rest hapuka, dec. Lay-to with moderate N.W. wind and sea all night. August 25. —Sunday. The crew were employed all morning in cleaning and packing the remainder of yesterday's catch. Steered to Whale Island, and anchored for the night. The feed-pump having become choked, the engineer was unable to keep down the temperature of the freezing-chamber, and to avoid losing about 280 cases of fish a course was laid for Auckland. August 26. —Arrived in Auckland at 3 p.m. August 28. —Removing coal from hold to bunkers and repairing feed-pump valve. Sent ashore about 5 tons of fish. August 28. —Left Auckland 10.15 a.m. August 29. —Station 97: Our position at daylight was 9 miles N.N.E. of Mayor Island — soundings showing no bottom at 130 fathoms. Steamed in to the land and shot the trawl at 7.30 a.m. in 50 fathoms, 11 miles N.W. x W. of Mayor Island, trawling south. The net was hauled up at 9.10 a.m. in 41 fathoms from a sand bottom. The result was very poor, only 3 schnapper, 1 tarakihi, 10 gurnard, and a number of valueless fish being taken. Station 98: At 9.30 a.m. shot the net again, steering south to shallower water, and hauled up in 35 fathoms from a coarse-gravel bottom at 11.45 a.m. The result was again very poor, only a few moki, gurnard, crayfish, and 1 lemon sole being taken. The net, when hauled up on the last two occasions, has had a very unpleasant smell, the ground evidently being what fishermen term " sour ground." Station 99: From last station steered S.E. to try fresh ground. Shot the net at 12.30 p.m. in 23 fathoms, bottom coarse sand, steered W. x S., and hauled up in 16 fathoms, sand-and-quartz-crystal bottom, at 2 p.m. This haul was a considerable improvement on the last one, and the bottom was of quite a different nature. The catch comprised a number of schnapper, trevalli, lemon sole, gurnard, &c. Station 100: Shot the net again at 2.20 p.m. in 16 fathoms, and towed S.W., hauling up at 3.45 p.m. in 10 fathoms from a coarse-sand bottom. This haul was not very large, but gave a variety of fish, 30 large schnapper and a number of tarakihi, gurnard, John-dory, &c, were taken. Steamed towards Whale Island, and lay-to for the night at 10 p.m. August 30. —Station 101 : The net was shot for the first haul at 6.35 a.m. in 40 fathoms on a dark-sand bottom. Trawled E. x S., the bottom being very similar to that on the east side of the bay. Hauled up the net at 8.5 a.m. in 35 fathoms, the result being a very good bag of about 300 schnapper, 200 tarakihi, and a few hapuka, gurnard, about 20 kingfish, &c. Station 102 : The trawl was shot again at 8.50 a.m. in 35 fathoms, and hauled up at 10.55 a.m. in 28 fathoms. Upwards of 2 tons of fish, mostly large schnapper, were taken in this haul. Station 103: The net was shot again in 28 fathoms at 11.10 a.m. Towed E., and hauled up at 1.10 p.m. from 21 fathoms. This haul again resulted in the capture of upwards of 2 tons of fish, chiefly schnapper and tarakihi, also a number of lemon soles, John-dory, kingfish, hapuka, <fee. Station 104: Again shot the trawl at 1.25 p.m., towing W. Hauled up at 4.5 p.m., in 25 fathoms, 7 miles E. x N. of Whale Island. The result of this haul was a still larger bag of schnapper, tarakihi, gurnard, hapuka, lemon sole, &c. Total catch for 8| hours 130 cases, containing 2,250 schnapper, 1,650 tarakihi, and a number of hapuka, kiugfish, and barracouta. August 31. —A strong northerly breeze increasing to a strong gale with high breaking seas and heavy rain was here experienced, and the crew had the greatest difficulty to save yesterday's catch, which was lying on the fore deck ; hard N.E. gale continuing to blow throughout the day and the following night. September I. —Station 105 : Steered back to position at 6 a.m., and shot the net at 8 a.m. in 50 fathoms, steering S. Hauled up at 10.5 a.m. in 33 fathoms from a mud bottom. The result was again a large bag of schnapper and tarakihi. Station 106: The net was put over for the last haul at 10.30 a.m., towing W.S.W., and hauled up again at 1.5 p.m. The result was a record bag of schnapper, tarakihi, kingfish, barracouta, and John-dory. The result of the last two hauls was 66 cases schnapper, containing about 2,000 fish, and 37 cases tarakihi, containing about 1,000 fish, also a case or two of hapuka, kingfish, and John-dory. Proceeded towards Wellington at 1.20 p.m. September 2. —Finished packing yesterday's catch, and placed same in freezing-chamber. September 3. —Arrived in Wellington at 4 p.m. September 4- —The charter expired this day, and all fish were landed, but as the steamer was being rechartered, it was unnecessary to overhaul the gear as had been anticipated previous to handing the vessel over to her owners.