AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 2395 



Q. In \vbat depth of water do yon catch mackerel! A. From five to 

 ten fathoms. 



Q. Taking your experience of mackerel fishing in the Gulf of St. Law- 

 rence, how much value do you attach to the right to catch fish within 

 three miles of the shore ! A. Mine is not any. I will never pursue the 

 business again in a vessel. 



Q. You never would pursue it again ? A. No; this is my first year's 

 experience, and I don't want any more. 



Q. Then, you are not employed this year ? A. No ; I am on my own 

 account. 



By Mr. Weatherbe : 



Q. Where did you keep your vessel ? A. This season ? 



Q. Yes. A. In Tracadie Harbor. 



Q. Where was she on the beach? A. No; about southwest from 

 the mouth of the harbor. 



Q. Tracadie is a dangerous place, is it not ? A, Well, the harbor, I 

 think, is very good. If, you go out, it is a dangerous place outside. 



Q. It is a dangerous place inside, is it not? Was it not inside you 

 were lost? A. We were not lost. 



Q. Then it is not a dangerous place inside ? A. Well, it is not dan- 

 gerous, because the vessel is there, and there is no danger. None of us 

 were lost at all. 



Q. Is it a usual thing for a vessel to go ashore inside of a harbor ? 

 A. Well, it is very seldom among our vessels there. There were ten 

 boats on the beach besides myself. 



Q. But do you know whether it is usual for vessels to go ashore in- 

 side ? Has it ever been known before ? A. Yes; in 1853 a large fleet 

 went ashore American vessels. 



Q. Inside of a harbor ? A. Yes. 



Q. Not since that ? A. Not that I know of. 



Q. Have you heard of any on that dangerous coast of the island since 

 that large gale! A.. Yes; I heard of two the fifth day of last July ; 

 two Nova Scotia vessels were cast away at St. Peter's. 



Q. In 1876 ! A. Yes. 



Q. Any others have you heard of I A. No. 



Q. Since the great gale? A. No ; I haven't heard of others. 



Q. How many have been cast away on the Magdalens? A. Of late 

 years ? That I could not tell. 



Q. Is it a dangerous place ? A. I don't consider it as dangerous as 

 the island, the north side. 



Q. But you don't know anything about ho Wj many vessels have been 

 cast away ? A. Well, I know from the experience I had there. I have 

 had experience there, and I judge by that. 



Q. I am instructed that vessels leave there in consequence of the 

 dangers of the coast, that they leave there and come to the other shores, 

 the mackerel-fishing vessels is that correct? A. I don't think it is. 

 They leave thre in the fall to follow the mackerel. 



Q. I got it from a very truthful man, and I want to ask you whether 

 it is so or not, that it is such a dangerous place that they leave it early, 

 and come to other coasts, to the Cape Breton coast, Sydney, St. Ann's, 

 and Margaree? A. I think they go to Margaree and Port Hood. Port 

 Hood is the best harbor on the whole coast. That is the reason, I think, 

 they go there. 



Q. That is the reason they go there * A. Well, the mackerel gen- 

 erally leave the Magdalens, and they follow the mackerel. 



