184 TRACTS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS, &c. 



industry. Almost all are paid, dolhed, and fed ; and it is to this 

 evil may be traced the want of adequate supplies of milk and 

 butter, of poultry and eggs, and I may well add of fish : for if 

 there were persons here, whose existence solely depended on their 

 exertions to provide those articles, they would be in the greatest 

 pleniy, and at reasonable prices. The fishery is, indeed, upon 

 the most wretched system. The boats are private property. The 

 fishermen, in general, are either soldiers or slaves ; and as both 

 are clothed and fed, and the former paid, what stimulus can they 

 possibly have to exertion ? They set out in the evening, and have 

 the option of being active, or of going to sleep in the boats ; and 

 if they return in the morning with a very scanty supply, they 

 imagine they have done all that could be expected ; or if they 

 have caught more than they bring to the landing place, the 

 surplus is either sold on shore for money, or to the shipping at 

 the anchorage for spirits. Thus the present St. Helena fishery is 

 unproductive ; tends to promote idleness, dishonesty, and intem- 

 perance : and it costs the annual labour of 1-30 able men : who, 

 after a night's fishing, or sleeping and drinking, in the boats, are 

 little disposed to labour during the day. 



I am of opinion that thirty or forty expert fishermen, having- 

 an interest in their labour (upon an establishment similar to a 

 South Sea whaler), farming the fishery at a very moderate rate, 

 merely to give an exclusive privilege (as at Batavia, and I believe 

 Columbo), would bring more fish to the inhabitants, and to the 

 market, than the total number of men above-mentioned. This 

 may be fairly presumed, from the comparatively great success of 

 the gentlemen fishing parties when they return from a night's 

 amusement. 



From what has been said, you may perceive that a plan might 

 easily be formed for availing ourselves of those innumerable 



