81 



report, recommonded that "every British boat should have a Hcensc ;" 

 otherwise, said lie, "it is impossible to discriminate them from Amer- 

 icans." 



Those who seek to put an end to this state of things, whatever their 

 motives, do not take into the account that the instant they shall ac- 

 complish their object, border strifes will follow of necessity. Before 

 rencwini!: their efl<)rts, they may be kindly asked to consider that har- 

 mony and good-fcllowsliip between the inliabitants of frontier settle- 

 ments are indispensal)le, and lar Ix'tter securities against the marauder's 

 torch and bludgeon than armed ships or bodies of troops. 



The produce of the boat-fishery of the Bay of Fundy, and of the 

 Passamaquoddy, is not only small in value, but generally inferior in 

 quality. An increase of this fishery, under present circumstances, is 

 not desirable. The fishermen dress and cure the cod, pollock, hake, 

 and huddoek — the kinds usually chied — in a slovenly manner. 



These fish, besides being rough and dirty on the " split face," fre- 

 quently "slime," and thus are unfit for use. They also smoke, pickle, 

 and pack the herring without skill and care, and decay is the conse- 

 quence. There is no excuse whatever for such a course of conduct, 

 and every offender should be held to punishment. The gentlemen of 

 New Brunswick who complain of the dechne of their fisheries, and who 

 seek to encourage them b}'^ private "associations," and by government 

 "bounties," should endeavor, first of all, to devise a plan to improve 

 the reputation ol" the fish of this part of that colony among dealers and 

 consumers. 



I find it stated in an official document* that in 1S50, at the different 

 fishng-stations mentioned as within these bays, there were employed 

 62 vessels of 1,268 tons, 344 open boats, 55 weirs, and 1,337 men, in 

 catching and curing the several kinds of fish just referred to ; and that 

 the value of the products of the various branches of the fishery was 

 ^33,0S0t currency, or 8132,320. 



These facts show that the fishermen received a miserable pittance 

 for their toil ; since, without allowing for the use atid depreciatioii of the 

 capital invested in the vessels, boats, weirs, nets, and other fishi/ig-gcar, they 

 earned for the year less than one hundred dollars each. We may lament 

 that men who pursue their avocation both day and night, mid rains 

 and gales, are so j)0()rly rewarded. We may lament, too, that the peo- 

 ple of Grand Menan, falling short of those of Campo Bello, West Isles, 

 and the parishes on the coast of the main land, earn ev'en less than the 

 average. But, what then? The fault is their own ; entirely so. They 

 may, if they will, j)roducc as sweet and as well-cured pollock and cod 

 as do their brethren of Barrington, and as good colored and flavored 



*" Report uiion tho fisheries of the Bay of Fundy, l>y M. II. I'crlcy, fsc}., licr M.ijtsty's 

 cmignitioi) ofliccr at Saint .lolni, N. I?.; laid hcfort' the House of AKscnitily liy fouiniaml of liis 

 exffllcncy rhc lii'iitcnant t'ovvrnor, and ordered to he printed, l.")fli March, IrTil.'' 'i'o tliis 

 tniuiite, earel'uiiy-pre|)arerl, and valuable State pai)er, I am niucli indelited for statisties uud 

 other Infornialion. Mr. j'erley'n endeavors to improve tiie condition and develoj) tlie re- 

 sources of New IJninswick, are entitled to the hinhcMt commendation of his fello\v-cn!oni.-t«. 



tNo statistics for (Jraml Menan art; fiven. Mr. V. says a ilealer eslinuiti's tho value la 

 184!) as £]2,W)i>, which, iu accordauuo with Mr. I'.'s suggesliou of being too high, I assume to 

 have been £ 1 1 ,0U(>. 

 6 



