2076 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



Q. Do you find any complaints of want of bait ? A. No ; not par- 

 ticularly. 



Q. Have any of them run in to buy bait ? A. Not that I know. 



Q. Now, as to your three on the Banks, would you state to the Com- 

 mission how they are fitted out as to bait ? A. We furnish them with 

 salt clams for bait. 



Q. How is it as to the supply of clams on the American coast at the 

 time you fit out ? A. Any quantity of clams. 



Q. At the time you fit out your Bank fishermen can you get what 

 clams you want ! A. Yes. 



Q. Is there a business springing up of furnishing clams to vessels 

 there along the coast of Cape Cod ? A. O, yes ; quite a business, from 

 Cape Cod to Maine. 



Q. Now, you say you fit with salt clams 1 A. Yes. 



Q. I suppose their voyages are something like three months? A. 

 We usually fit them out for five months. In the case of the largest ves- 

 sels we provide for five months. 



Q. Is there any difficulty in furnishing all the salt clams they want 

 for that time ? A. No. 



Q. These voyages, have they been with hook and line ? A. Two with 

 hook and line and one with trawl the present year. 



Q. Now state to the Commissioners how these vessels have compared 

 with one another, as to the commercial results of their fishing. A. 

 Well, the Emma Linwood went to the Banks last year, 1876. She was 

 a vessel of 73 tons, and we fitted her out for trawl-fishing with some 

 salt bait, about 40 barrels. Last year she used the salt bait in addition 

 to what other bait she procured on the Banks ; and finally she got 

 about 1,000 quintals and ran into Newfoundland for fresh bait. She 

 got some fresh bait and went out and finished the voyage and arrived 

 home. I don't know the exact time, but it was the very last of Septem- 

 ber. 



Q. How much did he bring home ? A. One thousand two hundred 

 and fifty quintals. 



Q. Then he only made 250 quintals after he went in ? A. That is all. 

 My other schooner, the Freddie Walter, sailed at the same time. She 

 was 84 tons. She had fitted with hand-lines. We put 60 barrels of 

 clams in her. She went down and arrived home the first day of Sep- 

 tember with 1,350 quintals. 



Q. He didn't go in ? A. No. 



Q. Did he use up all his bait? A. No. He had a few barrels left. 

 Fie fished a large portion of the time on the Virgin Rocks and caught 

 fresh bait there. He told me he got caplin most of the time on the 

 rocks. He didn't use it all, but brought some home. My other schooner, 

 the Allie F. Long, was 97 tons. She took 75 barrels of bait. She went 

 down fishing on the banks and arrived home the 18th September with 

 1,800 quintals. She was hand-lining. 



Q. He returned the 1st September with 1,800 quintals ? A. Yes. 



Q. Had he used up all his clams ? A. No ; he had a few barrels left. 

 He also got some caplin at the Virgin Rocks, so he told me. 



Q. Now can you give us your experience this year ? A. From report? 



Q. Yes. A. I have the same three vessels out. One is trawling, and* 

 two are fishing with lines. The trawling schooner is the same, and the 

 same two are hand-lining. 



Q. What is the result so far? A. The Emma Linwood went into 

 Newfoundland in July. She hail 800 quintals and she got squid and 

 went out, and reported back to Newfoundland the second time 1,000 



