2174 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



ferent lay altogether, which I don't know about. I never understood 

 myself much about it. 



Q. Then you cannot speak of any other ports except Gloucester ! A. 

 Yes 5 there are some others that fit just about as they do in Glouces- 

 ter, the same lay that we do. They used to, and I guess they haven't 

 altered it. 



Q. The captain and crew are always interested in the result of the 

 voyage ? A. Yes, sir. 



Q. In other words, the owners, the captain, and the crew are copart- 

 ners in the transaction. Well, now, when you went to the cod fishery 

 yourself, what year was that ; I forget ? A. Well, I went from 1829 to 

 about 1845. 



Q. During those years, was it carried on upon similar terms, or were 

 you paid wages ? A. O, well, we fitted our vessel on halves, generally. 



Q. Now, at that time did you fish from the deck or in dories f A. 

 We fished from the deck of the vessel. 



Q. Did the other bankers fish in the same way, from the deck ? A. 

 I think they did generally. I don't know any that fished with trawls 

 at that time. 



Q. Dories were not in use then ? A. They didn't fish from small 

 boaljs at all. 



Q. When was the system of fishing from small boats on the Banks 

 introduced about what time f A. Well, I don't know exactly what 

 time. I haven't fitted any, and I don't think we have fitted but very few 

 trawlers more than perhaps seven or eight years ago. We fitted some 

 before that time, but we didn't fit them, generally with trawls before 

 that. 



Q. I understand you to say that trawl fishing was introduced among 

 the Gloucester vessels about eight or nine years ago ? A. I think so. 



Q. When was the system of fishing from dories, instead of from the 

 decks of the vessels, introduced ? A. Well, we have never used dories 

 before we used trawls. 



Q. That is, you personally ? A. Not out of Gloucester I am speak- 

 ing of. 



Q. Well, from other ports are you aware when the system of fishing 

 from dories was introduced ? A. I think they did. They fished from 

 dories with hand-lines before that time, from Provinceton and other 

 ports. 



Q. Well, now, were the crews that fished from the decks of the vessels 

 and those who fished from dories were they all participators in the voy- 

 age in the result in the same manner in which you have described 

 the captain and crew of your present trawling vessels ? A. O, they 

 didn't change the lay not on account of fishing in a different way. 



Q. As a matter of fact, then, there have never been distinct wages 

 paid for the season or by the month to the captain or the crew of 

 fishing vessels upon the Banks. There have never been distinct wages, 

 but they have always depended as regards remuneration on the result ? 

 A. O, yes, sir; there are people that fit their vessels in different ways, 

 perhaps ; and I don't know but what there may be some exceptions 

 with regard to fitting. In fact, I have known men who hired all their 

 crews, captains and all. I am certain about that, but it is not the gen- 

 eral practice out of Gloucester, but I think it has been out of some other 

 ports. 



Q. You know of no case, at all events, where th crew and captain 

 have been hired at a distinct wage of so much a month ? A. No. I 

 don't know as I can name any particular vessels. I know it has been 



