2536 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



*Q. How uear to the sbore did you fish off Cape Breton? A. Well, 

 we fished sometimes within a mile or H miles of the shore, md at 

 other times we fished 4 or 5 miles from the shore. There werelittle 

 banks off there, and we sometimes fished on them, 7 or S miles from 

 the shore. 



Q. Off where ? A. Off from the shore of Margaree Island. 



Q. Have you names for these little banks ? A. No ; but we know 

 the soundings there and we often resorted to that place to fish. 



Q. If you are able to estimate at all the quantity of mackerel which 

 you caught within 3 miles of the shore off Margaree Island, or any- 

 where about the Cape Breton coast, I would like to have you tell us 

 all you can about it. We are confining ourselves to the trips mude on 

 the R. C. Parsons ? A. I think that the first season we got 100 barrels, 

 and I think that one-half of that trifle was caught within the 3-mile 

 limit, around Margaree, in what we call Broad Cove. 



Q. Now take your second year. A. In 1853 we only made one trip 

 and we fished up around the Banks. I think we went home earlier 

 than usual that year. We caught some mackerel on that side, but I do 

 not recollect what quantity. We did not, however, get many that year 

 on that shore. 



Q. What portion of these 120 barrels, in yonr judgment, was taken 

 within 3 miles of the shore that year? A. We might have caught a 

 dozen barrels, or about that quantity, but I could not state it precisely 

 now. 



Q. The following year, in the R. C. Parsons, you made two trips and 

 got 300 hundred barrels; where did you catch them? A. Mostly on 

 Orphan Bank and the Pigeon Hill ground, I believe. 



Q. How late were you in the bay that year ? A. 1 think that we 

 went put of it in the latter part of October; but I have not the exact 

 date. 



Q. Did you fish at all iu 1854 within 3 miles of the shore anywhere 

 that you remember ? A. Well, we might have tried for some fish in the 

 lower part of the bay on the last trip when we were going home. 



Q. What'do you mean by the lower part of the bay? A. The part 

 down towards Port? Hood. We sometimes fished off East Point. About 

 halfway across was a bank on which we fished sometimes. We also 

 fished from that over to the Cape Breton shore. Vessels resorted there 

 to fish. 



Q. You have no record of the number of barrels you took the last 

 year you were in the R. C. Parsons, though you have the amount of that 

 year's stock ; can you tell where you fished that year ? A. Well, I 

 fished mostly over the same ground as previously ; during a part of that 

 year I fished at the Magdalen Islands. 



Q. Give us the length of the trip and the number of barrels per trip 

 which you caught while you were on the E. C. Smith ? A. We were 

 5i mouths out iu 1856, that first year I was iu her; we went in early, 

 and we made two trips, which are put down as one in the statement. 

 We caught COO barrels on the two trips about 300 barrels each trip. 



Q. I see that you have not carried out the stock for that year? A. I 

 could not find it. 



Q. Do you remember where you finished that year? A. I fished on 

 Bank Orphan and caught some mackerel, about 50 barrels, in the Bay 

 of Chaleurs, on that trip, I think. 



Q. How far were you up the Bay of Chaleurs? A. This was above 

 Port Daniel, off Paspebiac. We caught some fish up there during one 

 or two days. 



