AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 2253 



Q. What distance were yon off Malpeque T A. We were just in sight 

 of laud perhaps 20 miles oft 1 . 



Q. What was your catch that year T A. Abont 275 barrels; we took 

 about 75 barrels off Malpeqne, and the remainder on Banks Bradley and 

 Orphan, and at the Magdalen Islands. 



Q. You only made one trip that year ? A. Yes. 



Q. Where were you in 1853 ? A. In the bay. 



Q. Where did you fish ? A. At about the same places as in 1852. 

 We tried off Margaree, Cape Mab.ou, Cheticamp, and other places. 



Q. And in 1853 you did the same f A. Yes. 



Q. What was your catch that year ! A. About 300 sea-barrels, which 

 packed out about 275 barrels. 



Q. What did yon do in 1854! A. A firm was formed and opened 

 stores one at Port Hood, and one on Margaree Island. I resided at 

 the latter place that year. We went down there to carry on the fishing 

 business and to fish ourselves. 



Q. When you say that you carried on the fishing business, do you 

 mean that you yourself fished ? A. Yes. We went down to carry on 

 a general fishing business, and if successful we were to have an in- 

 terest in the business ; but if the prospects did not seem to be good, 

 we would go fishing, and we went fishing the whole year around the 

 island. 



Q. What was the result? A. The firm failed in the fall, and the 

 general result was poor. We fished for mackerel ourselves all the year 

 round. 



Q. What was the result of the mackerel-fishing off Margaree ? A. 

 We both of us caught 25 barrels ; 12 apiece. 



Q. Where were you fishing ? A. Close inshore. 



Q. When did you go fishing again in the bay ? A. In 1856. 



Q. In what vessel ? A. The Emma J. Gott. 



Q. What did you do ? A. We fished nearly at the same places as 

 previously. 



Q. You then fished, I understand, on Banks Bradley and Orphan, and 

 at the Magdalen Islands ? A. We tried all over the bay ; we caught 

 some mackerel at the Magdalen Islands, some on Bank Bradley, some 

 on Bank Orphan, and a few down off Cape North, C. B. 



Q. What was your catch that year ? A. Between 275 and 300 barrels. 



Q. What did you catch off Cape North ? A. About 20 barrels; taken 

 outside of the three mile limit, I think. The land is so high there that 

 it is hard to judge this distance. 



Q. Since then you have been inspector of customs at Gloucester T 

 A. Yes. 



Q. You .have had nothing practically to do with fishing since then ? 

 A. No ; save general supervision. 



Q. As an inspector, generally interested in the Gloucester business !- 

 A. Yes. 



Q. As a general rule, speaking from what you see of the Gloucester 

 business as inspector, has the mackerel-fishing fleet sent from there to the 

 gulf increased or diminished in number ! A. It has diminished largely 

 during the last ten or fifteen years. 



Q. How about the Gloucester fleet which has fished on the United 

 States coast ? A. It has been steadily increasing in number. 



Q. We have heard a great deal about the value of the inshore fishery 

 in British waters ; you have lived at Margaree Island, and have fished 

 in those waters for years, and do you recollect noticing where the En- 



