85

77)
1842

2d 6m/o
Last night many thousand Shad were caught. It was thought more than 1000 $ worth, some say 2000$ - It is almost a new thing to Nantucket, very few have been caught within my memory until the present time. They will not bite at a hook or bait, nor in the day time.
The Craft in pursuit of them go off at night to the back of the Bar, & lay their Net or Scain [SKEIN] down on the bottom, & in the morning haul their Net into the Boat with the fish, then come to the Wharf or on Brant point, & there seperate the fish from the Net. Several other kinds of fish are found entangled in the Net. Many Dogfish, Scappaughs &c. They sell all the Shad they can from 8 to 12½ each, but they are mostly salted in barrels for a Market in different Ports in the U-S [UNITED STATES] & in the West Indies. They are valued equal to Mess Beef or more by the Barrel.
I have dwelt on the subject the longer, because our fishermen were unacquainted with the manner for taking them, & did not know that thye were here in such plentyful Shoals - as appears.
12. 6
The Shad business seems to fall off, or rather, the Shad have mostly gone, very few are now obtained.

9th 6m/o
It is about 10 days since there has been any rain, so that the top of ground had become dry, and needed a good rain.
9th
This morning strong wind at SE the rain set in and poured down in torrents, which it is likely will bring forward vegetation to bountiful crops, particularly the Hay, which probably will produce as much or more than has been for many years.

9th
A great colelction of Methodist Ministers & others are now here to hold a Conference.

10th
A remarkable wet rainy spell.
11th
Wet and Cold. The ground soak thoroughly.
Upland lots look very promising for a great Crop.
The late flood of Rain & Cold is likely to keep back vegetation in general, especially the gardens which probably will need replenishing with new seed.