72 



FISHERIES OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. 



Prince Edward Island is in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and is one 

 hundred and. seventeen miles long. 



Cabot, in 1497, after losing sight of Newfoundland, and on the 24rh 

 of June, saw other land, to which, in honor of the day, he gave the 

 name of St. John. The discovery was assumed to be this island, and 

 it bore the name of St. John for a long period. The French, claiming 

 that Verrazani was the first discoverer, granted it — in 1663 — to the 

 Sieur Doublett, a captain in the nav3^ to be held by him in vassalage 

 of the royal company of Miscou. The Sieur's associates Vv-ere two 

 companies of fishing adventurers from St. Maloes and elsewhere in 

 France, whose settlements upon the island were confined to places on 

 the coast suited to their pursuits. 



The French from Nova Scotia and Cape Breton emigrated thither 

 until the government, to prevent the depopulation of Louisbourg, pro- 

 hibited fishing except in certain harbors. 



In 1758 the isle St. John surrendered to the British ; and at the 

 peace of 1763, was permanently annexed to the crown of Great Britain. 

 The population was about 6,000. There were several thousand "black 

 cattle " owned by the inhabitants at this lime ; and the cultivation of 

 the soil was so extensive that it was called the "granary of Canada." 

 Among the proprietors of land in 1775 was General Charles Lee, who 

 owned a tract of ten thousand acres, on which he had expended about 

 five thousand dollars. As he had been an officer in the British army, 

 and had served in America, it may be presumed that this estate was a 

 grant from the crown.* 



At the peace of 1783, ihe isle St. John became the home of several 

 of the "tories" or loyalists of the Revolution, and, the following year, 

 was formed into a colony and called Prince Edward Island. The 

 population in 1806 was less than 10,000; in 1841 it was upwards of 

 47,000. 



The north and south coasts are much indented with bays and coves, 

 and the waters teem with fish. But as the soil is generally good, and 

 owned by persons of skill and property, the fisheries are much neg- 

 lected. Various attempts have been made to induce greater attention 

 to maritime pursuits. 



In 1842, it is beheved that a company was formed in England, with 

 a capital of several hundred thousand dollars, to promote this object. 

 The plan of this association was, as is said, to purchase land for a town, 

 erect buildings, and send over two thousand persons. Of its actual 

 operations and success I have no knowledge. In 1844 the governor 

 of the colony, "in a speech from the throne," recommended the organi- 

 zation of a company for the prosecution of the fisheries. 



Mackerel are at times abundant. A single example will suffice: In 

 1848 an American schooner was dismasted, and put into Georgetown 

 to repair. Having refitted, she went to sea^ and returned to port with 



* General Charles Lee was a colonel in the British anny, and served in America in the 

 French war. He lost the favor of the ministry by his course in the revolutionary controversy, 

 and entered the sei-vice of Congress. His dislike of Washington was the cause of Ms ruia. 

 He died at Philadelphia in 1782. 



