AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 2493 



Q. It has two masts? A. Yes. 



Q. And is schoouer- rigged ? A. Yes. 



No. 52. 



WILLIAM PERRY, fisherman and seaman, of Sheet Harbor, Nova 

 Scotia, was called on behalf of the Government of the United States, 

 sworn, and examined. 



By Mr. Dana: 



Question. How far is Sheet Harbor east of Halifax ? Answer. About 

 45 miles. 



Q. During how many years have you lived there ? A. About twenty- 

 five or thirty years. 



Q. Do you recollect the year when you first went fishing? A. No ; I 

 first went fishing with my father in the bay. 



Q. For mackerel or cod ? A. For cod. 



Q. Where did you go? A. I used to go boat-fishing with him at 

 home, and then ray brothers and myself got a vessel and went on what 

 we call the Banks, 15 or 20 miles off the coast of Nova Scotia, in deep 

 water. 



Q. You did not then go into the bay? A. No; that would be early 

 in the season. 



Q. Are these Banks 15, or 20, or 30 miles out from the shore? A. 

 Y'es; in from 60 to 75 fathoms of water. 



Q. And there you caught codfish ? A. Yes. 



Q. Did you go into the bay afterward ? A. Yes ; in August.aud the 

 latter part of July ; and I have been here September. 



Q. You were fishing on the Banks off Nova Scotia in May and June? 

 A. Yes. 



Q. And afterward you went up the Gulf of Saint Lawrence? A. 

 Yes. 



Q. Where did you go then ? A. Up about Prince Edward Island, and 

 I have been up as far as Anticosti Island, over to Labrador, and around 

 the Magdalen Islands. 



Q. Were you cod-fishing still ? A. Yes; we fished out in the bay off 

 the island. 



Q. What was the tonnage of your vessel? A. We had two vessels; 

 one was very small and the other was of 25 or 30 tons or along there. 



Q. What was the tonnage of the small vessel ? A. About 15. 



Q. When you used to go into the bay to fish at the different places 

 you have mentioned, how far off shore did you catch your fish ? A. 

 From 8 to 12 and 15 miles. 



Q. Have you tried the inshore fisheries? A. Yes. We never do try 

 for cod, however, inside of 8 or 10 or 12 miles from the shore ; we con- 

 sider it useless to do so in vessel fishing; of course the boats fish 

 closer in. 



Q. Y'ou have not been engaged in boat fishing in the bay ? A. No. 



Q. Have you seen American vessels fishing in the bay? A. Yes; 

 very often. 



Q. At about what distance off shore have you so seen them ? A. 

 At all distances; some were 8 or 10 miles off, and others 3, 4, 5, and C 

 miles off. I have seen them fishing very often on the ridge between 

 Cape George and Prince Edward Island. 



Q. There are shoaler and well-known places of fishing-grounds along 

 there ? A. Yes. 



