AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. J I 



day back of Long Island, and midway between thin inland and bom*. 

 1 then saw any amount of schools of mackerel, small and flue, I m*d 

 half a dozen times, desiring to procure a fresh mean, and I eould not 

 catch any longer than one of my fingers; these must have come froai 

 spawn deposited this year; this is the idea which I have formed a* to 

 these fish, and it is an idea which I have heard scientific men advance. 

 We would see thousands of barrels of these mackerel; and any man 

 knows what a school of fish is. These schools extended an far a* the 

 eye could reach. 



Q. With your experience of fishing in the gnlf, do you consider that 

 there is any very much greater danger incurred in fishing about the 

 Magdalen Islands than in any other portion of the gulf ? A. No; I 

 consider them the safest fishing grounds to be found anywhere in the 

 gulf inshore. Of course, if you are in the middle of the gulf you ar 

 safe. 



Q. Do you consider them safer than the bight of the island for fishing 

 purposes? A. Yes; if a man is a practical seaman, he undenttand* 

 that the outermost part of the island is safer than the bight of it, for 

 then you can carry sail and go anywhere, while in the bight you are 

 jammed in. The gale of 1851 proved that; ami I do not see the IMC of 

 arguing it. 



Q. As to the harbors, Malpeqne and Cascumpeque, do you think that 

 they afford security against danger! A. Malpequa is a comparatively 

 safe harbor when you are in it, although I have seen vessels lost there by 

 drifting on shore; this was in 1867, I think. I was in there when *r- 

 eral vessel went adrift. It is a bad harbor to enter during a gale of wind. 

 The C. W. Dyer, in which I was, was nearly lost while going in tlure, 

 I do not consider Cascumpeque a safe harbor to enter at any time; a 

 vessel is liableto go ashore if an east wind blows up. 



By Mr. Davies : 



Q. You have fished at or sailed from Wellfleet all the time?- -A. Ye; 

 I have sailed from there; it is my home. 



Q. Are there many vessels which come from that port to the Bay of 

 Saint Lawrence? A. Xo; not within the past three or four year*; bat 

 formerly quite a little fleet did so; say one-third of our vessel* came to 

 the bay some years, but I could not give the years. 



Q. One-third of the Wellfleet fleet did so some years ! 



Q. Give me an idea as to how many vessels came from Well 

 the Bay of Saint Lawrence to fish, say ten y-ars ago. 

 There possibly might then have been eight or ten ; I woi 

 the number. 



Q. So very few a very small proportion, consi.lennz the who* 

 ~bter of the American fleet, came to the bay T- 

 principally fished on our own shore. 



Q. You did not prosecute the gulf fisheries very much, I 

 that? A. We did not. 



Q. Have von gone much over the bay in nsh.ng!- 

 over the Bay of Saint Lawrence fnm the (Into. ('n<o t, 

 as far as Georgetown around the island and up the 

 Escumiuac and Miscou, up to Bonaventure, &.- 

 to the Magdalen Islands and down as far as Bryt 

 Cape North. I have, been all over that ground, but 

 the northward of Bonaventure. v 



Q. Have you ever fished off the Seven I 

 Gaspe; nor anywhere on that ground. 



