MISCELLANEOUS. 1179 



founders of two of the United States. Among those who lent aid and 

 countenance to the enterprises to people it, in early time, were persons 

 of rank and wealth and Bacon, of world-wide fame. In its waters 

 were the first trials by jury in America. The freedom of its fisheries 

 was asserted by Coke, and other champions of English liberty, in tones 

 to rouse the popular mind, and to put an end to chartered monopolists. 



In some respects Newfoundland is "a great English ship moored 

 near the Banks," even in the second half of the nineteenth century. 

 Twenty years have not elapsed since the system, which was hardly a 

 modification of that devised by heathen Carthage and Rome, for the 

 government of distant colonies, was abolished, or since captains in the 

 royal navy, who came to the island in the spring and returned to Eng- 

 land at the close of the fishing season, ceased to rule and to consider 

 the inhabitants as "subject to naval discipline;" and persons are now 

 alive who were the victims of the merchants "at home," who, armed 

 with ordinances and instructions of the Lords of Trade and Planta- 

 tions, insisted upon the entire control of the business, and of the 

 domestic arrangements of the residents. 



For the first time, in a history of more than three hundred years, a 

 legislative body, similar to those of other British colonies, assembled 

 in Newfoundland in 1833. The only material changes of previous 

 dates were those which related to the administration of justice, and 

 which allowed the people the forms and principles of jurisprudence, 

 in place of the decrees and the decisions of the Knavish ana despotic 

 "admirals" in command of fishing vessels, and the quarter-deck man- 

 dates of their successors. 



A few miles back from the coast, Newfoundland is almost an un- 

 broken wilderness. The inhabitants, as a body, are as ignorant of the 

 interior of the island as are others. To them, and to all the world, the 

 colony is known for its fisheries, and for these alone. To enumerate 

 St. John, Ferryland, Fugo, and Burin, and the settlements on the bays 

 of Concepcion, Trinity, Bonavista, Fortune, Bull's, Placentia, and St. 

 Mary's, is to recall almost every place of note. There was no free 

 port until 1828, and no bank until eight years later. From the dis- 

 covery of Cabot to the arrival of a bishop of the church, was three 

 hundred and forty-three years. The population in 1806 about two 

 and a quarter centuries after the attempt of colonization by Gilbert 

 was less than twenty-six thousand. It was less than seventy-four 

 thousand in 1836; and but ninety-six thousand six hundred and six 

 in 1845. 



It remains to speak of the fishing grounds ; of the manner of catching 

 and curing, and of the habits of the persons who are employed in the 

 fishery. As the vessel or "bank" fishery has been abandoned by the 

 English, an account of it is reserved for the third part of this report. 

 The boats used for the shore fishery require from two to four men each. 

 The number of boats in 1838, was 6,159; and in 1845, 9,989. The 

 fishing is performed within the harbors, and early in the season, near 

 the land. The men stand while at their toil, and each is able to tend 

 more than one line. At times the fish fasten to the hooks so rapidly, 

 that the fishermen display great activity. A boat is often filled in two 

 or three hours. On trie shores are "stages," or buildings erected on 

 posts, and projecting into the sea, to allow boats to come to them as to 

 wharves or piers. The fish are carried to these "stages," where, in 

 the hands or the "cut-throat," the "header," the "splitter," and the 



