692 COBBESPONDEJSCE, ETC. 



him to take it up, and he did not ; then others came and insisted upon 

 it, then he took it up. If he had then refused to take it up it would 

 have been torn up. 



Then Jacobs, an American, came and laid his seine out and hauled 

 about 100 barrels of herring in the big American seine, and capsized 

 into Tom Farrel's seine a Newfoundland fisherman employed by 

 Jacobs and fishing for him. 



Philip Farrel was also fishing for the Americans, being master of 

 McCauley's seine. The Newfoundlanders then capsized Tom Farrel's 

 seine of fish, who was only fishing for the Americans. After this 

 Jim Macdonald, another American, threw out his seine. Then the 



geople went and told Macdonald that he was not allowed to fish on 

 undays, and he must take his seine up ; and he took up his seine and 

 carried it on board his vessel. Jacobs would not allow his seine to 

 be touched, but drew a revolver. They went to McCauley, an Ameri- 

 can, who had laid his seine out for barring herring; this American 

 also employed a Newfoundlander to lay his seine out. The New- 

 foundlanders said it should not be done on a Sabbath day, and they 

 resolved to tear up all the seines they could get hold of. They man- 

 aged to seize McCauley's and tore it up. They would have torn up 

 any they could have got at if laid out, whether English or American, 

 because it was Sunday. The Americans do not bar fish. This was the 

 first time I ever knew them to do so ; they usually buy the fish from 

 the Newfoundlanders, and also barter flour and pork for them, and 

 I have never known anything to complain of against them previous 

 to this. 



Q. Did the American schooners continue to fish after the destruc- 

 tion of McCauley's seine ? A. Yes. 



They (the Americans) continued to fish, and left about the usual 

 time, the 10th March. I do not know any reason for the conduct 

 towards the Americans except that they were fishing on Sunday. I 

 do not know what became of the nets that were torn up ; it was left 

 on the beach for some days, and then taken away. I do not know who 

 took it away ; the Americans, perhaps, but I don't know. 



The Americans were often set afterwards, but not on Sunday ; the 

 Americans did not leave off catching herring after this on other days. 

 The English did not prevent the Americans hauling their seines, but 

 the Americans usually employed the English to haul them, as their 

 crews were not sufficient in number, and are not acquainted with the 

 work. The American crews are employed salting and freezing the 

 fish, while the English employed by them with the American seines 

 are catching them. The seine torn up was being worked by an Eng- 

 lishman for McCauley, the American, namely, Philip Farrel. 



Jacobs' seine was in the water a night and a day. I was not aware 

 that it was illegal to haul or catch herring by or in a seine at thai 

 time of the year, nor that barring is prohibited at all seasons, noi 

 that the seine must be shot and forthwith hauled, but have heard 

 some reports to that effect. 



The nearest magistrate is at St. Jacques, about 25 or 30 miles from 

 this, and there is no means of communicating with hhr excepting by 

 a sailing boat. 



