48 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



scribed, permitted to land and cut up their Whales in Labradore; this 

 is a Liberty that has never been allowed them in Newfoundland, because 

 of the Danger of prejudicing the Cod-Fishery carried on by our adven- 

 turers' Ships, and by Boat-Keepers from Britain, lawfully qualified with 

 Fishing-Certificates according to the aforementioned Act, who are fitted 

 out at a very great Risque and Espence in complying with said Act, 

 therefore they must not be liable to have their Voyages overthrown, or 

 rendered precarious by any Means, or by any other Vessels whatever. 

 And 



" Whereas great Numbers of the Whaling Crews arriving from the 

 Plantations on the Coast of Labradore early in the Spring considering 

 it as a lawless Country are guilty of all Sorts of Outrages before the 

 Arrival of the King's Ships, plundering whoever they find on the Coast 

 too weak to resist them, obstructing our Ship Adventurers from Brit- 

 ain by sundry Ways, banking amongst their Boats along the Coast, 

 which ruins the Coast-Fishery, and is contrary to the most ancient and 

 most strictly observed Rule of the Fishery, and must not be suffered on 

 any Account; also by destroying their Fishing-Works on Shore, stealing 

 their Boats, Tackle and Utensils, firing the Woods all along the Coast, 

 and hunting for and plundering, taking away or murdering the poor 

 Indian Natives of the Country ; by these Violences, Barbarities, and 

 other notorious Crimes and Enormities, that Coast is in the utmost Con- 

 fusion, and with Respect to the Indians is kept in a State of War. 



" For preventing these Practices in future Notice is hereby given. 

 That the King's OflBcers stationed in those Parts, are authorized and 

 strictly directed, to apprehend all snch Offenders within this Govern- 

 ment, and to bring them to me to be tried ior the same at the General 

 Assizes at this Place : And for the better Government of that Country, 

 for regulating the Fisheries, and for protecting His Majesty's Subjects 

 from Insults from the Indians, I have His iMajesty's Commands to erect 

 Block Houses, and establish Guards along that Coast. 



"This Notification is to be put in the Harbours in Labradore, within 

 my Government, and through the Favour of His Excellency Governour 

 Bernard, Copies thereof will be put up in the Ports within the Province 

 of Massachusetts, where the Whalers mostly belong, for their Informa- 

 tion betbre the next Fishing Season. 



''Given under my Hand at St. John's in Newfoundland, this First 

 Day of August, 1766. 



" HUGH PALLISER. 

 " By Order of His Excellency, 

 "Jn". Hoesnaill." 



There can be scarcely a doubt but that the indiscretions of the whale- 

 men were much magnified (if indeed they really existed) in this pro- 

 nunciaraento of Governor Palliser, for the sake of bolstering up the 

 former one. The whalemen of those days were far from being the set 

 of graceless scamps which he represents them to be. Probably there 

 was here and there a renegade. It would be quite impossible to find in 



