AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 2377 



Q. Did you go that season to the Southern fishing grounds along the American coast ? 

 A. No. I was in Gloucester when the vessel went out there, but I did not go. 



Q. Why? A. Simply because I did not think there was any money in the transaction. I 

 remained idle, as did many others at the time that year. I had never any faith in the South- 

 ern fisheries, because I saw that a great many people who went there did not make much. 



Q. A good many others were idle as well as yourself 1 A.' Yes. 



Q. You waited until fishing commenced in the Bay of St. Lawrence ? A. Yes. 



His evideuce continues : 



Q. One-third were caught altogether outside the limits? A. Yes. We went home with 

 the trip. I think it was in August we returned to Gloucester. We caught about 300 bar- 

 rels. 



Q. He means packed, I suppose; that was about the number we 

 packed. He shipped with us on that trip at Souris. 



Q. Are you positive about that ? A. We went to the bay one hand 

 short; men were not very plenty at Gloucester. Vessels often have to 

 go that way. The cook's wife wanted to go down, and we accommo- 

 dated her ; and then when we went in this man wanted to go and we 

 shipped him. 



By Hon. Mr. Kellogg : 



Q. Did I understand you to say you had licenses for 3 years ? A. No; 

 but for 2 , 1866 and 1867. 



Q. In 1866, 50 cents a ton was charged ? A. I think so. 



Q. And the next year $1 ? A. Yes ; and I think the price was raised 

 the third year to $2, but we did not take out any that year, and that is 

 the reason why vessels did not then purchase them, I think. 



Q. I should like you to state more fully what considerations you had 

 in addition to those you have mentioned, if there were any, for taking 

 out licenses. A. Well, I do not think there were any others. When 

 we had a license we could go any where without being bothered, and 

 this might have been the case 4, 5, and 6 miles off shore. 



Q. The sense of being secure whenever you went in the bay was your 

 motive, or part of it? A. Yes; I suppose so. I have heard of vessels 

 having been sometimes so bothered, but this was never the case with 

 me save once. 



By Mr. Davies : 



Q. During the 23 years you fished in the bay were you ever inter- 

 rupted by the cutters? A. Yes; once. 



Q. Where were you then? A. Going to Gaspe; this was in 1852 or 

 1853 ; I would not be certain about the year. 



Q. You were then within the limits? A. We were not fishing; we 

 were going to a harbor in company with some 25 vessels. 



Q. Did they board you ? A. Yes ; every vessel was boarded. 



Q. From 1852 to 1866 you were never interfered with by the cutters? 

 A. No. 



By Mr. Foster : 



Q. Explain what happened at the time you were boarded off Gaspe". 

 A. It looked stormy and quite a fresh breeze was blowing when we 

 were working up there. Most of the fleet were there, and the men on 

 a steamer had boarded them and forbidden them to go in ; and when 

 we got there they boarded us and did the same thing. This occurred 

 about 10 o'clock in the forenoon, and we staid round till late in the 

 afternoon ; it may have been 4 o'clock when they told us that we could 

 go in, and we did so. 



By Mr. Weatherbe : 

 Q. Give the name of the captain of that cutter. A. I could not tell 



