APPENDICES 239 



securing better accommodation, and immensely 

 shortening the passage. We are all strongly of 

 the opinion that nothing can be said in defence of 

 allowing girls to form part of the regular crews of 

 the green-fish catchers, or of any fishing vessel. 

 It appears to be necessary that women should go 

 down as passengers ; and with proper provisions 

 there is no reason why they should not do so. 



Here is the result of an accident to such a vessel 

 this year. Unfortunately I did not ascertain her 

 tonnage. 



On Thursday, the I4th inst, we left Spaniard's 

 Bay, bound to Horse Harbour, Labrador, on a fish- 

 ing voyage, having on board a number of sixty-two 

 souls, comprising men, women, and children. All 

 went well, until about eight miles north-east of 

 Partridge Point (White Bay). On the iyth inst., at 

 4 p.m., Sunday, while in a dense fog, the vessel 

 struck a large pan of ice, which crushed her bows 

 in, causing her to fill and sink in about eight or 

 ten minutes. Five or six men succeeded in getting 

 on the pan of ice with a line, and secured it as 

 best they could to the pan. Unfortunately it could 

 not be secured on board, owing to the dreadful 

 panic which was taking place; so she fell off a 

 considerable distance from the pan, preventing any 

 one from getting on the ice. A few boats were 

 then thrown over, but before any one could be 

 taken on board the boats, the vessel sank, leaving 

 men, women and children floating among the 



