418 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 



is only clothed by your excellency with authority to protect the in- 

 terests of this province, while the Magdalen Islands, where the offence, 

 if any, has been committed, belongs to the province of Lower Canada. 



1 have copied the letter from the master of the schooner Charles 

 verbatim, thai no mistake or misapprehension may attach to me. 



1 have the honor to be, sir, your excellency's humble servant. 



John Morrow. 



His Ex'cy Lieut Gen. Sir Colin Campbell, K. C. B., 



Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief. 



A true copy. 



John Morrow. 



[Sub-inelosure 1.] 



Schooner Shetland, of Boston, Massachusetts, G. W. Clare, master, bur- 

 den 98 TONS. 



This vessel sailed from Boston, on the 20th day of May last, on a 

 fishing voyage to the Labrador coast, victualled and stored for about 

 three months; having no object in view save the procuring of a cargo 

 of fish, not intending to trade, nor having any goods on board for 

 sale when the vessel left Boston, but having a few suits of oil cloth- 

 ing, intended for the crew, as is usual. 



After leaving Boston, encountered a succession of easterly winds, 

 and after having been driven about for some time, put into the har- 

 bor of Whitehead on the 3d of June, for shelter, and to obtain wood, 

 but were informed that no wood could be had, except soft wood ; the 

 mate and two hands then collected a small quantity of wood lying on 

 the shore. At 2 p. m., before the mate went on shore, the schooner 

 drifted, and the small bower chain, of which about thirty fathoms 

 were out, parted about fifteen fathoms from the anchor, let go the 

 best bower anchor, and narrowly escaped being driven on shore. 

 (The declaration of the mate to me, not in the affidavit referred to, 

 is, that the vessel was about her own length from the rocks.) Then 

 carried out the kedge anchor, by way of a second anchor, with a 

 hawser and a coil of large rigging attached to it. At about 4 p. m. 

 recovered the anchor and part of the chain. About 6 a. m. on the 

 following day, got under weigh, and came to in American cove, in 

 Whitehead harbor, to procure wood and place the vessel in safety. 

 That a lad whose name is unknown, came on board the schooner. 

 (Supposed to be about sixteen years of age. This is not in the affida- 

 vit.) Requested the master to sell him a pair of trousers, which he 

 (the master) refused to do, but on repeated importunities consented 

 that the young man might select a pair; the boy also requested to 

 have some tea and tobacco, and after much^ hesitation, the master, 

 having none to spare, and not having either beam, scales, or 

 weights on board, gave him a quantity of tea, supposed to be about 

 one pound, and about six to eight pounds of tobacco; for which arti- 

 cles, namely, the trousers, tea, and tobacco, the boy paid to the master 

 four dollars. About two hours after this transaction, a number of 

 men came on board, headed by a person who was said to be a magis- 

 trate or custom-house officer, and demanded the papers of the schooner, 

 (the register, fishing license, and the log-book,) which he retained; 



