FISHERIES OF THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC 149 



at this settlement for the like purpose, and in consequence 

 the cod fishing has greatly fallen off at this place ; fishermen 

 who formerly caught three hundred quintals of fish during 

 the season now only get one hundred quintals. 



"Several American vessels were off this place during the 

 season, and obtained full fares of mackerel; they injured 

 the cod fishing materially by depriving the fisheries of their 

 bait. 



"Messrs. Boissonault strongly advocate the appointment 

 of a Government Inspector, to inspect and brand all fish; 

 as well to give character to the article as to prevent the gross 

 frauds sometimes practised. They mentioned the fact of 

 barrels of fish being sold as containing mackerel, the ends of 

 which only contained that fish, the centre part of each barrel 

 being filled with herring. 



"The entrance to Bonaventure Harbour is between two 

 long narrow bars of gravel, one extending from a high bank 

 on the south side, and the other from the flat on the north, 

 upon which stands the village of Bonaventure. There is 

 sufficient depth of water in the gully to admit vessels of 

 two hundred tons at high water. Inside the gully there is 

 an extensive basin, and vessels lie directly against the gravel 

 bank, with three fathoms at low water. The Bonaventure 

 River is about sixty miles in length ; it is called by the In- 

 dians the 'Wagamet,' or 'Clear Water,' from the exceeding 

 purity and brilliancy of its waters. There are but few sal- 

 mon in this river, or fish of any description, which is supposed 

 to arise from the very extraordinary clearness of its waters ; * 

 and this absence of fish in the Bonaventure distinguishes it 

 from every other river in the Baie des Chaleurs. It may be 

 said to be ' the exception that proves the rule. ' 



"Large quantities of sea trout enter the basin of Bona- 



1 However correct this statement may have been in Perley's 

 time, the conditions now are entirely different from those described 

 by him. The Bonaventure is one of the finest salmon rivers of the 

 continent. Moreover, clear water is favorable to salmon, and in the 

 Grand River of Gaspe, one of the best on the coast, almost every 

 salmon in the pools may often be seen and counted. E. T. D. C. 



