AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 2787 



rels, I think, the first time, and 230 barrels, or thereabouts, the second 

 time, and the rest I carried home. 



Q. Did you pack them out iii Canso ? A. No ; I only landed them 

 there. 



Q. Why? A. I landed them because this was during the war, and 

 the men were afraid of being drafted, and if 1 had gone home, I would 

 have had to hire men for the purpose at Causo. Cruisers were burning 

 everything up, and so I got a letter of marque and got all prepared. I 

 obtained a license from the Secretary of War over at Charlestown, and 

 I fitted out my vessel with a six-pounder and shot and cutlasses, and 

 everything necessary for us to fight our way ; and I landed the fish and 

 made only one trip that season, because the men were afraid to return 

 lest they should be drafted. 



Q. You fitted out not against British but Southern cruisers, and your 

 men were afraid of being drafted into the northern army ? A. I fitted 

 out against any one who should trouble me anyhow ; and I was deter- 

 mined, if necessary, to fight my way. If that bark had come across 

 ine, I would have done my best to take her. 



Q. Which bark ? A. The one that burned the vessels about George's 

 Bank. 



Q. The Alabama ? A. No ; but an old bark the Tacony. 



Q. She was a Southern cruiser ? A. I do not know that, but I meant 

 to have taken her if I could. The fact is, I was all cut and dried for 

 her. The people of Halifax all came down to look at my vessel. I had 

 a six-pounder on board, and 24 rounds of round shot, and 24 rounds of 

 grape, and bags of powder, and everything else required ; while each 

 man had a cutlass and a revolver. I paid $800 for that outfit. 



Q. When was this? A. It was in 1863. 



Q. Your men were afraid of going back to your coast lest they should 

 be drafted into the Northern army? A. Yes. 



Q. And you were afraid of being captured by this Southern cruiser ? 

 A. I was not afraid, not a bit. 



Q. Well, lest you should be so captured, you armed yourself to show 

 fight ? A. Yes, I did. 



Q. You had no other object ; you did not intend to fight any vessels 

 except Southern cruisers f A. No, of course not. I intended to go 

 along peaceably if I was left alone. 



Q. You told Mr. Trescot that, though the fisheries on your coast are 

 better than those in the gulf, you preferred to go to the gulf in order to 

 keep your crews together ? A. That is so. 



Q. Was not that a great convenience to you ? A. Yes; and besides 

 we thus got clear of the fogs which prevail a great deal on our coast 

 during the summer. After we get through Canso, into North Bay, we 

 meet with little fog. 



Q. Have you any fog on your coast in winter ? A. Yes, sometimes ; 

 but not very often. 



Q. It is a, stormy place to fish in winter, on your coast? A. Some- 

 times it is and sometimes it is not. 



Q. But taking the season through, it is a stormy coast ? A. All coasts 

 are stormy in winter; but our coast is not then so stormy as the coast 

 around the British Provinces and in the gulf. 



Q. A large portion of the gulf freezes up in winter? A. Yes; but I 

 have been in the gulf till near Christmas for produce on the north side 

 of Prince Edward Island. 



Q. Without getting frozen up ? A. I did not get frozen up. I think 

 I left Malpeque on the 17th of November. 



