Fish, Fishing and Fisheries of Pennsylvania. 



that day. He immediately produced from bis bundle, a large piece of 

 corn bread and a big piece of raw salt pork. I had never eaten raw 

 meat before, but I think it was the sweetest morsel I ever tasted. 



"Thomas Horton was the first man to send fish to the surrounding 

 towns and villages. I have seen plenty of four and five pound black 

 bass sold for three cents each. Moses Muzzy had formerly been an of- 

 ficer in the American army in the Revolutionary War. In addition to 

 fishing he at certain seasons of the year lived on the peninsula, trap- 

 ping for muskrats, foxes and other game. This was as early as 1816 or 

 1818. He was an eastern man coming from the vicinity of Boston. 

 Owing to some family trouble, he had not informed them of his locality 

 since the war. One of the sons embarked in business in Boston, be- 

 coming wealthy, and in some manner learned where his father was, and 

 his mode of life, came on here and persuaded him to return home with 

 him. He had always preserved his uniform, and every 4th of July put 

 it on and visited Mr. Hoskinson's father, who had been an officer in the 

 army with him. 



"About 1824 25-26 small vessels used to go from Erie to Machinac 

 every fall to fish for white fish and trout ; <jured them there, packed 

 them in barrels, and when full loaded brought them to Erie. On one 

 occasion they came back so late that they had difficulty getting into 

 the harbor owing to ice. A good market for them was always found; 

 many of them were shipped to Pittsburg. There were eight or ten ves- 

 sels engaged in this trade every fall for several years. Hon. Seth Beed, 

 P. S. V. Hamot and Capt. John Dixon, had vessels so engaged. 



"Capt. John Dixon built the first dock and warehouse in Erie and 

 from there all of the limited fish business was transacted. Grass pike 

 were plenty in pike ponds, lying in about two and one half feet of water. 

 We speared and shot them. Fine turtles abounded there also. 



"I remember on another occasion going fishing with David Fowzier, 

 when about twelve or fifteen years of age. We paddled in a canoe from 

 the old navy yard about the foot of Sasafras street, up along south shore 

 of the bay to the "' Head," which was then all forest. We had no luck and 

 caught only two bass. Then we paddled across to Big Bend, and thence 

 down the north shore of the bay to the White banks nearly opposite 

 to where the pumping station of water works are now located. We got 

 there about 5 o'clock in the evening, and found eight or ten canoes fish- 

 ing, all having excellent luck. Fished for about two hours and loaded the 

 canoe with fine bass. So many that when we started back (about dark) we 

 could not carry them home. We took what we could, and left the re- 

 mainder in the canoe and went back for them in the morning. In those 

 times many of the farmers in the vicinity of Erie owned canoes which they 

 brought in on wagons when they wanted to fish. I have seen forty or fifty 

 canoes fishing on the bay at the same time." Mr. Albert Bosburgb, who 

 lias been more or less conversant with fishing and fishing interests since 



