2354 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



Q. Wheat year was that? A. Four years ago; it was in July I was 

 there. 



Q. Give any other inquiries you made and tell me from whom you 

 made them. A. I did not make any inquiries about the fishing from 

 anybody else. 



Q. You asked no other question but what you have said ? A. Not 

 from him. 



Q. From any person else f A. From John Beales, who left Moose-a- 

 beck and went down there, bought a place, and staid there and fished. 



Q. What did you ask him ? A. How he had done in fishing, and he 

 said a good deal better than when he was up at Moose-a-beck. It was 

 fishing in a small boat. 



Q. That was all you asked him ? A. Yes. 



Q. Did you m^ke any other inquiries! A. I don't recollect that I 

 did. 



<J.*Do % \ou know Walter B. McLaughliu, fishery overseer, Grand 

 Manan ? A. I do not. 



Q. You have beard of him ? A. I dou't think I ever heard that name 

 How long has he been overseer 1 ? 



Q. A great many years. He is county councilor, captain of the 

 militia, justice of the peace, and light-house keeper; he was born in 

 Nova Scotia, and resided all his life at Grand Mauan, and is 48 years 

 old. You know where the light-house is ? A. Yes, and been to it. 



Q. I will read you some extracts from Mr. McLaughlin's testimony. 

 After showing that he had taken up a good deal of time in preparing 

 statistics, he says as follows with regard to American boats : 



Q. Well, those boats those American boats do they equal or outnumber ours ? A. I 

 think they outnumber ours. I would not say positively. 1 am convinced in my own mind 

 that they outnumber ours. 



Q. Those boats supply the coast of Maine with fish ? A. Yes. 



Q. Our people do not compete with them in those markets? A. Oar fish go to Boston, 

 Portland, or New York. Those boats supply their own coast. 



Q. How often do they go home with their fish ? A. They fish a week or so and then go 

 home. They have a nice little cabin in the boat and the men sleep 5a that. As soon as 

 they get a load they go home. 



Q. How do they keep their fish ? A. They salt them. 



Q. How is it about the fresh fish ? A. Well, when they come for fresh fish in the winter 

 time, of course they have larger boats or vessels. 



Q. And the fish that are taken by the Americans in the summer they salt ? A. Certainly, 

 unless they sell them fresh in the American market. It that case the vessels come supplied 

 with ice. There are a few that run to Machias aud other places with fresh fish, the same 

 as they do to Eastport or Lubec ; but any that make a business of selling the fish fresh 

 must have an ice-house. 



Q. Those American boats that you spoke of all fish within three miles ? A. Yes ; I con- 

 sider that they all fish within three miles a marine league. Boat-fishing means that. 



Q. Now, about how many American vessels fish on the coast during the season ? A. It 

 would be hard to tell that. It has never been my duty to count them. 



Q. They come in large numbers and they generally outnumber ours ? A. Yes ; our peo- 

 ple at Grand Manan fish but little in vessels. 



Q. Do these vessels come in fishing within three miles? A. At a certain time of the year. 

 In winter it is entirely within. The fall and winter fishing is entirely within. 



Q. What besides herring are caught in summer ? A. Cod, pollack, and hake. 



Q. They catch in boats and vessels both ? A. Yes. 



Q. Now, in the spring, are you not visited by the Grand Manan fleet from Gloucester ? 

 A. Yes; they used formerly to come to Grand Manan direct. Generally now they go to 

 Eastport and get the Eastport people to catch bait for them. 



Q. When you say "formerly," do you mean after the Treaty of Washington? A. Yes. 

 They did not come before that much. It is since 1871 that have come principally. They 



will come, down every spring. 



******* 



Q. And now they come chiefly to Eastport to employ Eastport fishermen, who catch the 

 fish and bring them to them ? A. The big vessels are not fitted out for herring-fishing. 

 They take an Eastport vessel in company with their, and come over aud anchor in our 



