30 LIFE OK :n[oses henry perlev. 



and in 1851 a second ''Report upon the Fisheries of the Bay of 

 Fundy" — the latter containing a catalogue of the fishes of New 

 Brunswick and Nova Scotia, systematically arranged. 



For a long time he had been gathering information relative 

 to trade and commerce, and for some years prior to the consider- 

 ation of the Reciprocity Treaty of 1854, had been engaged with 

 some American Commissioners, notably Daniel Webster, collect- 

 ing statistics of trade between the British provinces and the 

 United States, which largely tended to the adoption of the Reci- 

 procity Treaty of 1854. So highly were the services he had ren- 

 dered appreciated by Lord Elgin then Governor-General of 

 Canada, and Her Majesty's Government, that immedintely on its 

 ratification, he was. in 1855, appointed Commissioner on behalf 

 of Great Britain to carry out its terms, being among the first, 

 if not the tirst, native-born colonist without imperial interest, or 

 connexion, appointed to an office of such responsibility and dis- 

 tinction. Of the manner in which he discharged the important, 

 and, at times, delicate duties of his office, the continued conti- 

 dence of Her Majesty's Government, under succeeding adminis- 

 trations, is the best proof; and had he lived to complete his 

 labours, he would, doubtless, have received a substantial reward. 



At the time of his death he was engaged in the discharge of 

 his imperial duties, and was ou board H. M. S. Desperate, that 

 vessel having been detailed for his use by H. M. Government. 

 About the 1st of August. 1862, he was seized with gastric fever, 

 and after some days of illness had apparently recovered; but a 

 relapse occurred, closing with his death onthelTih. His remains 

 were interred with naval honours in the Episcopal burial ground 

 at Forteau, on the coast of Labrador, north of the strait of Belle- 

 isle, and just to the eastward of the eastern boundary of the pro- 

 vince of Quebec. 



Moses H. Perle}' was a man of many [)arts, not the least 

 among them being his untiring energy. His })en, like himself, 

 was always in motion and when it is rememl)ered he was nearly 

 always afield, travelling, exploring, and collecting, it is marvellous 

 how- much and varied were the products of his pen. Through all 



