2402 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



Q. Can you tell what is the general character of tbeMaine fishing now, 

 compared with what it was twenty years ago ? A. It is much depre- 

 ciated. 



Q. With your experience of the fishery for twenty years, what is the 

 profit ? Js it in the fishing, or in the handling of it afterwards ? A. O, 

 well, it is in the handling of the fish, the principal profit. 



Q. Do you know anything of the fishing about Prince Edward Island 

 the shore fishing ? A. Well, I have been there a few years. 



Q. You say you were a farmer and shore fisher yourself, at home ? 

 A. Yes. 



Q. Were you familiar with the habits of the fishermen about Prince 

 Edward Island ! A. Yes, I was. 



Q. How far out did their boats catch fish when you knew them? What 

 was the average run of their voyages ? A. Well, I never fished myself 

 in small boats from Prince Edward Island, but I had intercouse with 

 fishermen there. They told me they fished off twelve or fifteen miles. 



By Mr. Davies : 



Q. Were you fishing at all in the bay ? A. Yes. 



Q. Many years ? A. Not a great many years. 



Q. Were you in an island vessel, or an American vessel ? A. Our own 

 island vessels Deer Island. 



Q. What years did you go to the gulf? A. Well, sir, I only have the 

 records of two years. I think I was there in 1853, and the year 1856 ; 

 but the dates of my other years in the gulf have slipped my memory. 



Q. When you speak of the island fishermen, and as to the distance at 

 which they were accustomed to fish from the shore, you have reference 

 to these years, twenty years ago? A. No, sir, inside of that. I can't 

 fix the date of the time I had intercourse with them. 



Q. I should like you to try, because there is a little variance between 

 what you say and the evidence we have. What was the last year you 

 were there ? A. I haven't the date of the last year I was there. 



Q. But you can tell us about what it was, surely ? You remember 1853 

 and 1856 ? A. I have the records for them ; that is all. I don't trust 

 my memory. 



Q. Does your memory entirely fail you apart from the records? A. 

 No, sir, not entirely. 



Q. Well, if it does not fail you entirely, perhaps you will tell me? 

 A. Well, I can't tell you that. I only have the dates of those two years. 

 It would be impossible for me to tell you the last time. 



Q. Well, the time before the last 1 A. Well, I can't tell you that. I 

 only have the dates of these two years. 



Q. How many years were you there altogether? A. That I don't 

 know. 



Q. What fishermen did you converse with ? A. The boat fishermen 

 from the north side of Prince Edward Island. 



Q. What part ? A. French Village, North Cape. 



Q. That would be near Tignish ? A. Near about. 



Q. Apart from what the fishermen told you would you tell this Com- 

 mission as the result of what you saw that the boats were accustomed 

 to fish about 10 or 12 miles ? Would you venture to assert that as the 

 best information you had from what you saw apart from what you have 

 said the fishermen told you ? A. No ; I would not assert that from my 

 own experience, because I never took pains to consider the distance. 



Q. I want you to tell the size of the boats they fished in about Tiguish, 



