82 FISHERIES OF THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC 



frigate of 50 tons, built at Quebec, belonging to the Sieur 

 de la Chesnaye and valued, with its cargo, at twenty thousand 

 pounds. The same pirates cruised all this summer at the 

 entry of the St. Lawrence to destroy the fishing and to trap 

 the ships ascending and descending the river, and doubtless 

 the fleet would have been captured had it not been escorted 

 by the King's ships. 



"The fisheries are of inestimable value, but in order to 

 conserve them it is necessary for His Majesty to provide 

 vessels which can protect them, and which can also drive 

 away our neighbors from places which do not belong to 

 them." 



Frontenac informed the Minister in October, 1694, that 

 two Boston pirates had captured a little fishing ship equip- 

 ped by M. Lazerne, a merchant of Quebec, and also the flute 

 St. Joseph, whose captain was killed in defending his vessel. 

 The loss of this ship was a serious one for Frontenac, and for 

 many people of the colony who had goods on board of it. 



FISHING IN NORTHERN LABRADOR. 



In the season of 1717, no less than 33 ships were en- 

 gaged in the fisheries off that part of the Labrador coast be- 

 low the Straits of Belle Isle. The following details of this 

 fishing were given to Sieur Begon by one de Lage, the master 

 of a barque who had just returned from Labrador: "The 

 first establishment was at Petite Riviere, six miles below 

 that of the late Sieur de Courtemanche at Phelypeaux Bay 

 (now Bradore). Eighteen of the fishing vessels belonged to 

 this station, and found plenty of space for drying their fish 

 on the beach at Petite Riviere and Isle a Bois. Forteau Bay. 

 12 miles below Petite Riviere was the scene of the second es- 

 tablishment, to which eight ships repaired with their catches 

 of fish. The third was at 1'Anse au Loup, or Wolfe Bay, 6 

 miles distant from Forteau Bay. Twelve fishing vessels 

 could easily be accommodated there, but there was only two 

 at the establishment, for the reason that there was no room 



