75 



semblc for social enjoyment and amusement. Few of them are coiTupt 

 and vicious, but most arc superstitious and ignorant. The women, like 

 those of the ancient fishing-town, Dieppe, in France, from which their 

 ancestors came, wear calico caps or liandkcrchiefs tied over the head, 

 short petticoats of woollen stuff" striped with red, white, and blue, and 

 plaited in large folds at the waist, and blue stockings ; while on Sunday, 

 over a neat and clean attire, they throw upon the shoulders a small blue 

 cloak, reaching about half way down the body, and fastened at the 

 breast with a brass brooch. The men appear in short round jackets, 

 with straight collars and metal buttons set close togethc^r, blue or scar- 

 let waistcoats and blue trowsers, and sometimes the bonnet rouge, but 

 generally round hats. Individuals, however, of both sexes, dress differ- 

 ently. The women, or "fish-wives" — as at the fishing ports of Nor- 

 mandy, Piccardy, and Brittany, in France — work very hard, performing 

 the whol(! labor of curing the fish, in addition to the ordinary duties of 

 cooking, spinning and weaving, and the care of the children. 



The cod-fishing establishments in this bay are ancient and extensive. 

 Of those of modern times, that of Messrs. Robin & Co., founded in 

 1768, is the largest, best ordered, and most prosperous. They have a 

 number of finished buildings, which are conveniently arranged, and kept 

 in excellent repair. They export about 30,000 quintals of cod annually, 

 besides a quantity of pickled fish and oil. Their vessels come from the 

 Isle of Jersey in the spring, are dismantled on arrival, and lie moored 

 until the close of the fishing season; the masters and crews either fish- 

 ing in boats, or collecting the fish caught by residents, who obtain 

 their supplies and outfits of the firm. In the autumn the vessels are 

 e(jui])pcd, and depart for Europe with full cargoes. It is said that the 

 first head of the firm, the late Charles Robin, among other rules for the 

 management of the business, directed in his will that no female should 

 reside at, or be employed at any of the fishing establishments of the 

 concern ; and that, in accordance therewith, the gentlemen and clerks 

 of the present firm of Robin & Co. leave their f imilies in Jersey while 

 sojourning in the Bay of Chaleurs. 



The fishery is carried on almost entirely in boats, two persons in 

 each, who return home every night and land the day's catch. At the 

 close of the season the resident fishermen settle with the merchants with 

 whom they deal, carrying to their storehouses all the fisli not previously 

 collected l)y their agents. 



The whale fishery is pursued to some extent in the Bay of Clialeurs 

 and the adjacent seas. " The whales caught within the CJulf of St. 

 Lawrence," says Macgregor, "are those called ' hump-backs,' which 

 vield, on an average, about three tuns of oil. Some have been taken 

 seventy feet l<mg, wliich produced ciglit tons. The mode of taking 

 them is somewhat diffl-rent from that f()ll<)\v((I by th(> Greenland fishers, 

 and the Gasj)c fishermen first acquired an acquaintance with it from 

 the people of Nantucket. An active man, accustomed to boats and 

 schooners, may become fully acquainted with everything connected 

 with this fishery in one season. 'I'he vessels best adaptcMJ t()r the pur- 

 pose are schooners of from seventy to eighty tons l)ur(len, manned with 

 a crew of eight men, including the master. Each schooner re(|nir<'s two 

 boats, about twenty feet long, built nanow and shaip, and with yink 



