AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 2381 



some of them would be injured. But some that were acquainted with 

 the business cured them comfortably well. 



Q. Can you give me any idea of the amount of fish caught around 

 the shores of Prince Edward Island? A. Well, I think the year I was 

 there they would range from 4,000 to 7,000 barrels not exceeding 7,000 

 barrels, maybe. 



Q. The shore fisheries 1 A. Yes; the island fisheries. 



Q. These fish were bought up by the merchants who dealt in fish and 

 were exported ? A. Yes. 



Q. Who bought most largely ? A. Mr. Hall and Mr. Carvell Mr. 

 Hall, I think, most largely. 



Q. What proportion of them did Mr. Hall get? A. I suppose he got 

 nearly half. The rest were distributed among such as came into com- 

 petition for them. 



By Mr. Weatherbe : 



Q. When did you leave the island ; ten years ago ? A. I left the 

 island well, I left my business there in the spring of 1866. 



Q. You have resided in the States since that ? A. I have always re- 

 sided in the States ; my residence in the island was only a temporary 

 home for the season. 



Q. How many years were you doing business there ? A. From 1861 

 the fall of 1861 until 1865. 



Q. Have you r,ead over the evidence with regard to the boat fishery 

 that has been given before the Commission ? A. No, I haven't read any 

 testimony. 



Q. I presume you know most of the men residing in Rustico ? 1 am 

 somewhat familiar with them. 



Q. Do you know Alexander McNeil ? A. Yes. 



Q. Churchill ? A. Yes. 



Q. And Marshall t A. Yes. 



Q. These are all respectable men ? A. Yes. 



Q. Men of truth ? A. Yes ; I don't know anything to the contrary, as 

 far as I know. 



By Sir Alexander Gait : 



Q. You spoke of the commencement of the mackerel fishery in the bay 

 as being about 1830 ? A. I think I said 1832 or 1833. 



Q. I understood you to say it declined about 1841 ? A. Yes, it fell off. 

 I think, about 1841. 



Q. Then it increased again until the time of the war ? A. No, not en- 

 tirely until the time of the war. It fell off again after that, but we were 

 doing as well in 1852, '3, '4 again ; that would be my remembrance. 

 But I think we got as many mackerel in the gulf in the few years of the 

 war as any other time. 



Q. Now again it has fallen off, I understand you to say ? A. Entirely; 

 it has almost entirely fallen off as far as any "profitable business is con- 

 cerned. 



Q. You said there were only 68 vessels this year ? A. Yes. 



Q. Has it declined periodically on the American coast also ? A. Yes. 



Q. I wanted to ask you just this, whether the fishing is good at the 

 same time in your observation on the American coast and in the Gulf of 

 St. Lawrence, or whether it fluctuates and is good on your coast and bad 

 in the gulf in the same year and vice versa f A. I don't think there 

 could be a distinct line drawn there, but I think it is sometimes the case 

 that it resolves itself into that in a measure. 



Q. It is occasionally good on the American coast and occasionally in. 



