18 HISTOIJTCAL SKETCEI. 



Tills sy.stein went on for generations till tliese mercliant-niono-- 

 polists began to fancy that the whole island Avas their own, anil 

 that any one who settled there was an interloper whom they were 

 warranted in dri\ing away. Being wealthy and powerful they 

 had great inHuence with successive English governments of those 

 days. They were able to persuade the statesmen and ])eople of 

 England that (lie hsheries would he ruined if a resident popula- 

 tion shoidd be allowed lo grow up in the island, and liiat they 

 would no longer bi- a nursery of seamen for tlu- Royal Navy. 

 Further, they misled tlu' English Governuu-nt and peojile l)y 

 rejiresenting the island as liopelessly l»arren, and in n-gard to its- 

 soil and climate, untit for being a i)ermanent residence for human 

 beings, but a very convenient rock-mass for curing and diying 

 codfish during the suuimcr season. 



SICTTLKMKNT I'KOHIBITKI). 



In this way it came about that unjust and injurious laws were- 

 enacted by the English ( Hivt-ruuient to ]>revi-ut the scttlciueut of 

 the island and to keep it forever in the degraded condition of a 

 stage for drying tish. These laws forbade anyone to go to New- 

 foundland as a settler, and ordained that all tishermeu should 

 return to England at the close of each fishing season. Masteis 

 of vessels were comixd led to give bonds of £100, Innding them 

 to bring back eatdi year such persons as they took out. Settle- 

 ment within six nules uf tlie coast was jirolubited under heavy 

 penalties. No one could cultivate or eiu-lose tlic smallest piece 

 of ground, or even repair a house without license, which was' 

 rarely granted. 



CONFLICT OF SKTTLFUS AN'I> MEKCH VXT-ADVEMITUF.KS, 



Notwitlistanding tliese liardships and disenura^cments the 

 sturdy .settlers held their ground and slowly but steadily in- 

 creased in numbers. Between them and their oppiessors a liitter' 

 autii^athy .sprang up, and it is not M-oiiderrul that it shonhl have- 

 been so. There weiv among them men of a manly indei>eiident 

 sjtirit, who carrie<l on the contest bravely against the gras])iiig 

 tishing-cai>italist>, and at last coiupiered them and won their' 



