AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 2489 



Q. And they would not go more than 1 miles out ? A. No ; but I 

 saw boats outside of that. 



Q. But they would not go there ? A. Yes. 



Q. And this was done for eighteen different seasons ; the sam 3 thing 

 was done over and over again T A. Yes. 



Q. So that from this experience you swear positively that, in your opin- 

 ion, the inshore fisheries on the north side of the Prince Edward Island 

 are good for nothing? A. They are good for nothing; and this is also 

 the case with the shore fishery of Northumberland Strait. 



Q. And if people came here and swore that plenty of fish are to be 

 caught, and are caught, on the north side of Prince Edward Island, you 

 would not believe one word of it? A. No more than as to what I have 

 stated ; you may get there from 10 to 15 quintals of codfish, and per- 

 haps from 15 to 20 barrels of mackerel ; but this is not going to pay a 

 crew. 



Q. You do not believe it if people say that the best fishing is in- 

 shore ? A. No ; not one word of it. 



Q. In fact, the inshore fisheries are worth nothing ? A. Yes ; but 

 outside the limits you will get fish. 



Q. But with that splendidly fitted out boat you never thought of 

 going out there to try ? A. No. 



Q. How far along the shores of Prince Edward Island did you fish on 

 these occasions ? A. As far as Cascumpeque, I think. 



Q. Did you fish off Kustico ? A. I cannot say that we hove a line off 

 there. 



Q. Did you sail up as far as that ? A. Yes ; we went as far as Cas- 

 cumpeqne. 



Q. Why did you not try there? A. A fair wind was blowing, and 

 we did not think it worth while. 



Q. Is not Bustico considered the best fishing-ground around the 

 island? A. No. 



Q. Where is the best fishing-ground around the island ? A. Off New 

 London. 



Q. That is the next harbor to Eustico f A. Yes. 



Q. Did you try there ? A. No. 



Q. Why not? A. Well, when I was there I was a hired man ; I was 

 not master of the boat, and I could not tell my master to go to work 

 and fish there. 



Q. Did he fish at Rustico ? A. We fished inshore, but we got nothing; 

 what I call getting nothing is when a man makes a voyage, and when he 

 comes back cannot pay his debts j that is nothing, and worse than 

 nothing. 



Q. You say you were in the schooner Responsible in 1853 ? A. Yes. 



Q. And you took no American vessels fishing in the bay within the 

 three-mile limit ? A. No ; one morning we found one inside at Mag- 

 dalen Island, but when we came to examine, she was getting wood and 

 water. 



Q. You never saw any other American vessel inside of the limit ? A. 

 No. 



Q. Did you not see others, which got out of the way, and -beyond the 

 three-mile limit before you could take them ? A. No ; we sailed along 

 one foggy morning, and tried to catch them, but we could not. 



Q. You wished to see if any were inside ? A. Yes. 



Q. Why, then, did you try to catch them ? A. It was on account of 

 the noise made about their imposing on the provinces ; and the thing 

 was to get them if we could. 



