AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 2865 



Q. When yon are on the island, do you not reside nine-tenths of your 

 time in Charlottetown f A. I spend a large portion of the time there ; 

 I don't know about nine-tenths. That is my headquarters. 



fj. If I was to say you spend one day out of two weeks at Rustico, 

 would I be wrong? A. I spent this summer half my time there. 



Q. But generally speaking ? A. I spend all the Sabbaths and about 

 half the week there. 



Q. Do you not generally live in Charlottetown when on the island ? 

 A. I generally go to Eustico two or three times a week. I remain there 

 but a short time. 



Q. Your opportunities of observation in regard to the fishing there 

 were limited compared with those of persons on the spot ? A. Of course. 



Q. You would not pretend to give an opinion as to the distance the 

 boats fished from the shore, as against the opinions of persons on the 

 spot? A. I have only been there one season, but I have been round 

 the island for twenty years. 



Q. Captain Chi virie is one of your captains? A. Yes. 



Q. And also Captain James McDonald ? A. Yes. 



Q. Was their evidence put in your hands to read by Mr. Foster ? A. 

 Yes. 



Q. You read their statements? A. Yes. 



Q. James McDonald is now captain of the Lettie ? A. He is now. 



Q. Is he out fishing this year? A. Yes. 



Q. Is he a good fisherman ? A. Yes, a good fisherman. 



Q. He says : 



That two-thirds of the fish canght in American and other schooners are caught 

 within a mile and one-half from the shore; the best-fishing is generally close to the 

 shore. 



You would not be prepared to contradict his statement ? A. I have 

 not the same opinion he has. From what I know from conversations 

 with other men, and from my conversations with him in former times, I 

 should not have such an opinion. 



Q. I understood you to say, in answer to Mr. Foster, that your opinions 

 had been modified by conversation with American witnesses since you 

 caine here? A. Not so much here; partly here and partly at other 

 places. 



Q. I understood you to say that, since you came here and conversed 

 with American witnesses, you had somewhat modified your opinion? 

 A. If I had formed my opinion from conversations with them, it would 

 be that not more than one-eighth or one-tenth of the catch was taken 

 inshore ; if from conversations with the other side, it would be that two- 

 thirds, three-quarters, or nearly all was so taken. 



Q. Did you ever converse with witnesses from the island about it ? 

 A. I have talked with them in various years oftentimes. 



Q. You have no reason to doubt that James McDonald is a reliable 

 man ? A. I have good reason to doubt. 



Q. As to his veracity ? A. No ; I would not doubt any man's verac- 

 ity, but the correctness of his opinion. 



Q. You merely doubt his estimate ? A. I doubt the estimate in re- 

 gard to the American fleet. 



Q. Not his integrity and veracity ? No. 



Q. You spoke of seining ; what was the depth of the seine with 

 which you tried ? A. I had one of 10 fathoms deep, and another of 12 

 fathoms. 



Q. You found they required to be so shallow in order to prosecute the 

 Sshiug there ? A. Yes. 

 180 F 



