MISCELLANEOUS. 1291 



awaits those who, in the same barbarous precincts, presume to use a 

 bait-mill! The degree of civilization in colonial legislation is wonder- 

 ful, and without a parallel, except in Tunis or Tripoli.* 



As the concluding topic, we pass to examine into the causes of the 

 seizure of our vessels, by ships of the crown and by the colonial cutters, 

 for alleged "aggressions." 



Chronological order is not material to the inquiry, and will be dis- 

 regarded. In many cases we have the seizing officer's own account. 

 Thus says one: 



' ' I found the said American schooner Rebecca at anchor, cleaning 

 fish and throwing the offal overboard. It being fine weather, and they 

 having three barrels of water on board, with a sufficient quantity of 

 wood, I detained her, and took her to St. John." 



Again, reports the same officer to his superior: 



' ' I found the American fishing schooner William anchoring in Gull 

 cove; the weather was fine until after she got in, when it came on 

 foggy, with light breezes; and they having two barrels of water on 

 board, which myself, Mr. Tongeau, and boat's crew subsequently used 

 from, and plenty of wood, I detained her." 



Still again: 



' ' I received information from the fishermen at Gull cove, as well as 

 from the master and crew of the fishing schooner Minerva, of Grand 

 Menan, that an American schooner was at anchor at Seal's passage. 

 I went out from Gull cove, and saw her there; at nine o'clock in the 

 evening I boarded her, which proved to be the American fishing 

 schooner Galeon, and found all the crew asleep. On questioning the 

 master the reason of his being there, he told me he had come to throw 

 the gurry (offal of the fish) overboard. They not being in want of 

 wood or water, and a fine fair wind for them, I detained her, got her 

 under weigh, and ran for Gull cove, a direct course for their fishing 

 ground. What the crew of the last mentioned vessel asserted in their 

 protest is not true. I never said that I would release their vessel, but 

 told them that it was not in my power to do it, as they had decidedly 

 violated the treaty of convention between England and the United 

 States ; but as they pleaded poverty, saying their vessel was then* sole 

 support, I told them I would recommend their case to Captain Hoare, 

 of the Dotterel, my commanding officer." 



The schooner Battelle was seized for setting nets in a harbor, and for 

 this offence was condemned; the Hero was seized because one of her 

 crew dressed some fish on shore ; the Hyder Ally was seized and con- 

 demned for using nets within three miles of the coast ; the capture of 



* As an instance of the falsehoods resorted to in Nova Scotia to inflame the minds of 

 the colonial fishermen, I cite the following paragraph which appeared in a Halifax 

 paper in 1845: 



" Mackerel fishery. About four hundred vessels engaged in the mackerel fishery (from 

 the coast of Nova Scotia and Cape Breton) arrived at the port of Gloucester (United 

 States) on Sunday, September 27 . Their cargoes averaged one hundred barrels. Thus 

 this fleet had upwards of forty thousand barrels of fish pretty pickings enough! The 

 whole catch of our provincial fishermen will not exceed ten thousand barrels." 



There is one other "fish story " equal to this, namely: Some six hundred years ago, a 

 woman-fish direct from the ocean made her appearance among the fishermen of Holland, 

 with whom she lived awhile in great amity ; but desiring finally to see her children, she 

 took affectionate leave of the kind Dutchmen, and returned to her old home in the sea, 

 where, for aught that appears in history, she is alive at this day. The skippers above 

 mentioned reported falling in with her on the "coast of Nova Scotia and Cape Breton" 

 in 1845. but the veracious Halifax editor suppresses the important fact. 



