THE MAGDALENE ISLANDS — PATTERSON. 53 



shore, it is followed to sea in schooners fitted out for the pur- 

 j)ose. 



The sealing is, or was, followed by the spring herring fishing. 

 In former years these used to come in immense numbers. In 

 Pleasant Bay alone 50,000 barrels have been caught in fifteen 

 days. But for some cause unknown they have for some time 

 almost forsaken their old places of resort, so that the people now 

 catch hardly more than enough to serve them as bait for their 

 lobster traps. 



In the beginning of June come the Spring mackerel. Like 

 the herring, they come to spaM'n, and are then poor. In a fort- 

 night they return to deep water, but they return again about 

 the last of July or first of August. They are now large and 

 fat, and for the next two months move capriciously round the 

 islands and neighboring coasts. In past years great quantities 

 have been taken both by American and Colonial fishermen. In 

 the year 1875, a year not very profitable, 200 American vessels 

 took 30,000 barrels, worth at a low estimate $350,000, while the 

 islanders cured 9,000, valued at 8100,000. But for the last few 

 years these fish have almost forsaken their former haunts. 



The codfish has been a more steady and stable resource. 

 From the time when the islands were (Uscovered, they have been 

 caught in large numbers, and though they will be more plentiful 

 in one year than another, yet they have never entirely failed. 

 The fishing is prosecuted from the beginning of May till the end 

 of October. In 1880, the year of the last census, the catch 

 amounted to about 18,000 quintals. 



Within the last few years the canning of lobsters has become 

 one of the staple industries of the islands. Establishments for 

 the purpose have risen on every part of the group, which for a 

 time did a flourishing business. But it is evidently overdone. 

 Not only has the number taken fallen off", but, with perhaps the 

 exception of one place on Bryon Island, where an establishment 

 has just begun, those taken are very small, and the meat thin, 

 so that I was informed that it would take about eight lobsters 

 to fill a pound can. Indeed, I believe that the greater part of 

 those taken were below the size allowed hy law. 



