2910 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



1865, 1 was interested in the charter of some English vessels and one or 

 two American vessels in connection with other parties at the island, of 

 which I have no account here. 1 ain unable to give the results of their 

 voyages exactly. 



Q. In 1862, did something happen which obliged you to personally 

 stay at the island? A. My agent, who was down there, died, and I 

 passed a portion of the season there, during 10 or 12 years during the 

 time of navigation being opened, from spring till December. 



Q. Did you have charge of a fishing stage at Kustico? A. I did dur- 

 ing one year, in 1862. The man in charge was drowned, and I passed 

 a portion of the year there, and superintended the business of the stage. 



Q. You went into the boat fishing? A. Yes. 



Q. To what extent? A. We had, 1 think, 6 or 8 large boats employed. 



Q. Was it a paying business to you or not! A. Not sufficiently so to 

 induce me to stay another year. We caught 600 barrels of mackerel. 



Q. With all your boats ? A. Yes. 



Q. You had to support the men and furnish supplies ? A. To sup- 

 port the men in the ordinary manner, and we bought their fish. 



Q. After one season you gave that up ? A. Yes. 



Q. Were you engaged in the produce business and freighting, freight- 

 ing for other people besides yourself? A. Yes. 



Q. But you still fitted out every year at least one vessel for fishing? 

 A. Yes, down there I did. 



Q. Were those vessels you fitted out down there fitted with seines or 

 hooks and lines, or both? A. They were fitted with hooks and lines 

 and with seines as accessories j I had the seines on hand, and 1 sent 

 them as instruments to use in case of the mackerel schooling and an 

 opportunity being offered of catching them. 



-Q. How long were the boats you used when you were engaged in boat 

 fishing ? A. The boats were, I think, from 25 to 30 feet in length, and 

 were designed with the object of being good boats and able to sail well 

 to the wind. I should say that at first the boats were smaller, and we 

 had larger ones built and increased their size and sea- worthiness and 

 adaptation to the business. 



Q. How far out did the boats go to catch mackerel ? A. They went 

 as far as they had occasion to find the fish, it depending on the water. 

 Sometimes the fish were in round the headlands, within one mile of the 

 shore; sometimes within half a mile; and frequently the boats went 

 out so that I could just see them as specks with a glass, say 7 miles. 

 The men used to tell me they went seven or eight miles out, if the mack- 

 erel happened to be there. 



Q. You spoke of their being near inshore off the headlands ; did they 

 keep nearer shore there than at the bend of the island ? A. Yes ; from 

 the fact that the water is deeper at the headlands. 



Q. I think you did not send any vessels to the bay this year ? A. 

 No. 



Q. Did you send one there last year ?T A. I did. I had one vessel in 

 North Bay in 1873. 



Q. Take all those attempts you have made, with hand-lines and seines 

 adapted to the coast, has it been a profitable or unprofitable business I 

 A. On the whole, I can say with safety I have not made any money 

 in the business on the aggregate revenues. Of course, in the first year 

 1 made a very profitable voyage. 



Q. That was in 1863 ? A. In 1857. 



Q. Do you think that voyage produced an effect on you ? A. It 

 stimulated me to further action. 





