The Holbrook news., 1912-05-03

of Gloucester's herring fleet by
 ice in the Bay of Islands and
 Bonne Bay, Newfoundland, the
 quick dash of the revenue cut ters Gresham and Androscoggin to aid in their rescue, and the subsequent release of the vessels, has called at tention to region little known to the general public, but of great importance to the fishermen of Gloucester.
 Bay of Islands and Bonne Bay, not quite half way up the west coast of Newfoundland, are two of the smallest inlets of the island. yet for well over half century the herring industry has been centered there.
 The uncertainties attending naviga- ton in this part of the ocean are em- phasized when dispatches announced the release of the imprisoned vessels when an easterly wind forced the ice off shore before the two revenue cut ters got there, thus enabling the yes sells to escape into clear water, al- though they were still in peril from the ice. which might easily have come back again.
 The perils of . trip to Newfound- land to purchase a load of herring from the natives are known to every Gloucester fisherman. and for fishing vessels to be caught in either of the two bays and forced to spend the winter there while their cargoes spoil 1s no new occurrence. It is unusual. however. for % large Q fleet to be shut in by the huge cakes of what wlr rrp the Schooners were penned in at Bay oe ISlands. seven were frozen in at Bonne Bay, and one vessel, the VII Nam Morrissey, was wrecked off Ta- ble Point, in endeavoring to escape. Scenery Picturesque.
 Bay of Islands Is a picturesque place, attractive in the summer, even though a winters stay there would prove monotonous. As its name i'm piles, 1t is studded with islands, some of which rise to lofty height. At its entrance the bay Is 15 miles wide, and ik is there that most of the islands are situated. Easily accessible, 1t is . spacious inlet, being Is miles in depth, with a fine anchorage on the southern side.
 From the eastern side of the bay several arms make out, known as North, South and Humber Arms, or to fishermen, as Big, Little and Middle Arms. The most important of these arms is that called Humber sound, which extends from the southeastern part of the bay for about 2S miles easterly Into the country. The river Humber is at its mouth, and is the second largest stream of the island. To the south of the sound rises a range of hills called Blo-mi-don, or Blow-me-down hills, varying in height from 800 to 1000 feet. As they near the river the hills level gradually un- tz. at the rivers edge their height is mo- in excess of 300 feet. Except in winter they present a rich coloring of varied foliage which extends to the river banks.
 The settlement or village of Bay of Islands contains less than 2,000 peo- pie, and Is well up the Humber Arm Nesting at the foot of the hills and sheltered by their peaks, the village with It's tiny white houses Is typical of the smaller settlements of the is- land It's inhabitants are mainly fish erman, engaged for a good part of the year in catching the herring which are sold to the Gloucester men.
 Smaller than Bay of Islands and to the north of that inlet Is Bonne Bay. Its fishing interests are smaller than those of it's neighbor, and comprise salmon and cod in addition to herring Soil in that vicinity is very fertile and well adapted to grazing purposes.
 The fact that herring swarm in countless millions along the gulf coast of Newfoundland, and particularly in Bay of Islands and Bonne bay, and that the island is comparatively SO near the United States. yet under the rule of another power, led to infinite international fishing disputes. The re- nult of these wranglings has been that American fishermen now buy all their herring from the natives, conflning their activities largely to loading the carroes and treating them on the homeward voyage.
 HerrInas Spawn Early In April.
 Early in April or May large schools of herring put into the deepwater bays to spawn, and thus are comparatively valueless for food purposes, being used only for bait. Enormous quan- titles of these herring are sold for halt for the Bank fishing vessels-