AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 3343 



CUSTOM HOUSE, GLOUCESTER, Oct. 4, 1877. 



Personally appeared Capt. John S. Staples, who subscribed to the 

 foregoing statement, and made oath that the foregoing statement was 

 true, before me. 



ADDISON CARTER, 

 Special Deputy Collector and Justice of the Peace. 



No. 276. 



GLOUCESTER, August 25, 1877. 



I, Daniel McNeil, on oath depose and say, that I was born on Cape 

 Breton ; am 34 years of age ; have been engaged in the fisheries for 21 

 years, principally in the Bank fishing on Grand Bank, Western and 

 Quero ; have been master for five years ; am now master of the schooner 

 Eben Parsons, of Gloucester. Arrived from the Grand Banks this 

 week. Have always bought my bait of the inhabitants of Newfound- 

 land. I paid $80 for my bait on the last trip, and I did not get a full 

 baiting. I have never fished for bait at Newfoundland, neither have I 

 ever known any of the American fishermen to do so at Newfoundland, 

 always invariably buying what they needed, and, in fact, if they 

 wished to catch their bait they could not, for they are fitted with no 

 appliances for the purpose. The inhabitants of Newfoundland are very 

 anxious for this trade, always coming on board, even before I can couie 

 to anchor, soliciting the sale of this bait ; and though the American fish- 

 ermen pay the highest price for their bait, ice and supplies, still I re- 

 gard it as cheaper to do so. This bait supply to the fishermen furnishes 

 occupation to a large part of the inhabitants, and is quite lucrative to 

 those engaged in it. This trade has been patronized by the Americans 

 (engaged in the Bank fishery) very generally for the last seven years. 

 Previous to that time, it was the custom to catch our bait on the Banks. 

 Fish-peas, fish cut up, birds and squid constituted our bait. The in- 

 habitants of Newfoundland find the only market for their bait in the 

 French and American Bank fleet. I regard this traffic of vastly more 

 importance to the inhabitants of Newfoundland than to the American 

 fishermen, as we could procure our bait, as heretofore, on the Banks. I 

 have seen 20 sail of American vessels in a small cove at Newfoundland 

 for bait, which they uniformly purchased. If prevented from purchas- 

 ing bait at Newfoundland, the Americans could procure this bait at the 

 French Islands, where the French fleet of Bankers get their bait and 

 supplies. 



DANIEL MCNEIL. 



GLOUCESTER, Aug. 25, 1877. 

 Sworn to and subscribed before me, 



ADDISON CARTER, 



Justice of the Peace. 



No. 277. 



I, Charles E. Parkhurst, of Gloucester, in the State of Massachusetts, 

 book-keeper, on oath depose and say, that schooner Energy was built 

 and owned by my father, Charles Parkhurst, and run by him in the fish- 

 ing business until she was sold to go to California. That in 1868 she 

 was engaged in the Gulf of St. Lawrence mackerel fishery ; that she 

 sailed July 18th, and returned Nov. 14th, 1868; was absent three months 

 and twenty-six days, making but one voyage. She brought home and 

 packed out one hundred and thirty-three (133) barrels of mackerel, 





