DESTRUCTION OF THE CAPELIN. 181 



To be effective, there should be similar regulations on both sides 

 of the Bay of Chaleurs." 



Doubtless this is all very true, but unfortunately the legis- 

 lature of Canada is much too busy in passing bills for the 

 reward of notorious murderers and rebels, and the opposition to 

 the ministry much too busy in combating them, and striving to 

 get into office again, to think of anything that could benefit the 

 province, or tend to the good of any one except themselves and 

 their own immediate partisans. 



Their own bad passions, and factious partisanship, and no ex- 

 ternal causes whatsoever, are the bane and curse of the Canadas j 

 but, after all, I suppose, it matters mighty little whether the 

 legislature pass such a law or no ; for no human being that I 

 ever heard of in America, whether British or of the United 

 States, ever dreamed of obeying the game law, except exactly in 

 so far as suited his own convenience. So I presume the doom 

 of the Capelin, and ultimately of the Cod, may be considered 

 sealed. 



