THE PICKLED-HERRING TRADE. 469 
N. Lavoie, in bis “Report of the Cruise of the Government Schooner La Canadienne in the 
River and Gulf of Saint Lawrence for the Season of 1870,” gives another and more detailed account 
of the fisheries, from which we learn the extent of the catch at the islands for. two seasons and the 
exact size of the American fleet. He says: 
“The yield of the first part of the season in herring fishing was much below an average, if we 
can call fishing a catch of 2,100 barrels of fish divided between one hundred and nineteen schooners 
and the whole of the islands fishermen. The same fishery yielded in 1869 75,000 barrels. The 
failure is in nowise to be attributed to a want of fish in the waters of Pleasant Bay. They resorted 
thither as usual to spawn, but owing to an early spring and the early disappearance of the ice, the 
fish struck in three weeks earlier than usual, thus disappointing the expectations of foreign as well 
as of out own fishermen. At the date of our reaching Magdalen Islands we found one hundred 
and nineteen schooners from the United States in Amherst Harbor and Pleasant Bay. They were 
expecting new shoals of herring, but they waited in vain; the fish did notcome. The first schoon- 
ers of the spring fleet arrived on the 27th, the second and third on the 28th April. A few herring 
were still pear shore when these fishermen arrived. They managed to catch about half a cargo on 
their first arrival, but next morning the fish were all gone. 
“Tt is useless to remark here that the owners and outfitters of these vessels must have suf- 
fered heavy loss from the disappearance of herring. On the 18th of May, thirty schooners, which 
had been detained by the ice, reached the islands for the same fishery, but on finding out that it 
was over they immediately left. Mr. Painchaud, of Amherst Island, is the only one who has been 
provident enough to supply himself with seines and salt. He caught 1,100 barrels in two hauls, 
which pays him a hundred fold for the cost incurred. This improvident spirit displayed by our 
people is the more to be regretted, as, when they repair to the coast of Labrador again for herring 
fishing, they are still at the mercy of foreign fishermen, and often return empty-handed after 
undergoing great hardships and danger.’”* 
Again, in his report for 1873, Mr. Lavoie, in referring to the herring fisheries, shows that though 
fish were plenty, the fisheries were almost a total failure owing to the abundance of ice that caused 
most of the fleet to abandon their voyage and return home. He writes as follows: 
“ Herring made its appearance along the shores of this coast several days sooner than last 
year, and on the 27th of April Pleasant Bay was full of them. As I have said before, the greater 
part of the herring fleet were unable to reach the islands, and had to put back to their respective 
ports on account of the large quantity of ice they met with in the straits or gulf. Four schooners, 
however, were able to make their way to Amherst Harbor, and to complete their loads in a few 
days. The following gives their names, tonnage, &c.: 
er Name of vessel. Port of registry. Master. Tons. | Men. | Boats. | Nets. | Seines. [Barrels. 
May 13| A.B, Higging............... Lamoine ......2.22.ee00eeees A.B. Higgins 42 8 "| Lotecaed 1 800 
May 14 | Susan......-.--.-------+---- Cans0.......----+-+6-- eee eee J. Walker ........... 19 4 2° | eaisins 2 800 
May 23 | Hero.......--.------e00-0--+ Prince Edward Island ...... | MoKay ...-.-...-.-- 29 8 | A iectancealeteinarets i 500 
May 23 | Anemone..........-..------ Anticosti ...-....-------2--- Battersy .......-.... 10 4 A tesensted| essere 50 
Total .......... 100 19 (i eee 3 1, 650 
“On the 27th of April some fishermen from the islands had a cast of the seine, which brought 
in about 300 barrels of herring. 
Only a few barrels were, however, saved, as with their usual 
negligence they had not thought of procuring last year the means of pickling their fish this spring. 
Salt was too dear and the price of fish too low to allow them to take advantage of their good luck. 
* Annual Report of the Department of Marine and Fisheries of Canada, 1869~70, pp. 222, 223, 
