2078 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



What do you say the opinion is there on that subject ? A. 1 think the 

 opinion is that the vessels had better not go in. 



Q. But the majority of your vessels year before last perhaps went 

 in ! A. I think they did. 



Q. How is it this year ? A. I could not say for certain; perhaps more. 



Q. But not so many in proportion as went in before ? A. I think not. 



Q. Do yon think the opinion against going in for bait is increasing ? 

 A. I think it is. 



Q. Where do you sell your codfish ? A. In the Boston market mostly 

 and in Philadelphia. 



Q. It is all sold in the United States ? A. Yes. 



Q. Have your vessels ever sold any fish in Newfoundland ? A. Not 

 to my knowledge. 



Q. Now, with reference to the Magdalen Islands, as an underwriter 

 and an outfitter and fisherman, what do you say with reference to the 

 safety of that place ? A. Well, the Magdalen Islands is a pretty windy 

 place, but the surroundings are such that it is considered there is a bet- 

 ter chance to make leethau any other place in the bay. 



Q. Allowing for it being a boisterous place, as there is this oppor- 

 tunity of circling round .the island and finding a lee, do you think it is 

 a safer place from shipwreck, although, perhaps, not so agreeable ? A. 

 Tes, unless it is the south side of Prince Edward Island and up about 

 Georgetown. They may be preferable. 



Q. Take the bend of the island between North Cape and East Cape. 

 What is the most dangerous wind, by the way, in that region ? A. The 

 northeast. 



Q. You can look at that map (pointing to the chart). You see the 

 bend of the island there I A. The northeast wind blows right into that. 



Q. Now, if a vessel is in there, within three miles of the shore, and a 

 northeaster comes up, what chance has she ? A. I had experience of 

 that one night myself. In 1840 we were fishing one trip and went in the 

 bay. There came a northeaster and we had a very severe time. We 

 had to carry sail and go out by East Point. 



Q. How far off were you ? A. It was thick sort of weather. I could 

 not say very well. 



Q. Yon managed to weather the point ? A. Yes, sir j we did. The 

 wind in the latter part of the night veered more northerly. 



Q. If the wind had continued northeast, would you have made it ? 

 A. I don't know. It is doubtful. 



Q. Of course it does not need much nautical skill to know that a bight 

 into which the wind blows directly is no safe place ? A. Unless there 

 are good harbors. 



Q. Do you know any good harbors in the bight of the bay ? A. I 

 haven't been there for quite a number of years. But when I was there 

 we considered Malpeque Harbor in the day-time, if it was not very 

 rough, quite a good one, and Cascurnpeque. The schooner I was in went 

 to New London. 



Q. You know from information from others that have been there 

 whether there are in the bight any harbors large enough and safe 

 enough to furnish refuge for a considerable fleet of vessels ? A. Mal- 

 peque Harbor is a pretty good Harbor if you are in. 



Q. Is there any trouble about getting in ? A. The water is pretty 

 shoal on the bars. We would expect it to be shoal and rough on the 

 bars. 



Q. Do you know whether the bar is diminishing in depth? A. I 

 don't know. 



