2784 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



which contained them were burned ? A. No ; I never referred to them, 

 but often when we got together we would talk over what we had done 

 such and such a year ; we would talk over at the fireside what we had 

 done in a vessel say in 1836, 1837, or 1838 telling how many mackerel 

 we got and how much money we made, and all that, in common talk. 

 We would refer to these matters time and time again, telling who was 

 high-line, and all what happened. We used to talk over these subjects 

 in that way. 



Q. Although you did talk over what you did in these different years, 

 you never referred to this memorandum-book to verity your state- 

 ments? A. No. 



' Q. Then it comes to this, that although you had a memorandum - 

 book, you never referred to it at all to assist your memory ? A. No ; 

 not a bit. 



Q. With this extraordinary memory, the accuracy of which I do not 

 dispute recollecting not only what you did 40 years ago but the very 

 days of the mouth on which certain events happened, yet you cannot 

 tell me whether in 1866, 11 years ago, your vessel, the Scotland, went 

 into the bay to fish or not f A. Well, she went halibuting that year. 



Q. But she did not go into the bay ? A. No ; she went to St. Peter's 

 Bank and the Western Bank. 



Q. But that is not the Gulf of St. Lawrence? A. Well, she might 

 have gone up above Seven Islands, where a good many halibut used to 

 be got; 



Q. That lies south of the coast of Labrador and north of the island 

 of Anticosti ? A. Yes. 



Q. Did she go there to catch halibut? A. She might have done so; I 

 was not in her. She was in charge of Captain Bartlett at the time. 



Q. Your captain would surely tell you where he had been and where 

 he bad caught his fish? This would be your first question? A. As 

 long as he had halibut that was the chief thing I looked after. 



Q. I do not think you would be content with merely knowing that! 

 You would ask him where he had been and where he had caught 

 his fish ? A. Sometimes 1 might do so and sometimes I might not. 



Q. Did you, in point of fact, ask and discover from him where he had 

 been and what he had caught that year? A. I could not answer that 

 question; I could not say whether I did so or not; I might possibly 

 have done so, and I might not. 



Q. Then I am right in stating that, notwithstanding your good mem- 

 ory, you do not recollect whether your vessel, the Scotland, went in 

 1866 into the gulf or not ? A. Well, I am pretty positive in saying that 

 she did not go there that year mackereling. 



Q. Did she go there at all, for halibut or any other fish ? A. Not 

 that I know of: that is not within my recollection. 



Q. You have no recollection of Captain Bartlett having taken out a 

 license in the bay that year? A. No. 



Q. Do you recollect what the license-fee was that year? A. It might 

 have been $1 for all I know, and it might have been 50 cents. 



Q. What was the tonnage of the Scotland ? A. 123, carpenter's 

 measurement, and I think one hundred and something new tonnage. I 

 think that I paid for 125 or 130 tons, when I bought her. 



Q. Did they measure the tonnage by carpenter's measurement in 

 levying fees'? A. That I cannot tell. , 



Q. The fee would be at least $50, if they charged 50 cents per ton, or 

 $120 if $1 a ton was charged. A. Yes. 



Q. That sum would iiot be paid by the captain ? A. I suppose that 



