26 



tion them, and mark well their answers. Well, my fi-iend ! 

 what sport ? Pas beaucoup, Monsieur. Why. Do you not 

 kill as many fish as you used to do ? No, Monsieur. But 

 what's the reason ? After a great many shrugs of the 

 shoulder — for your Hudson's Bay men are very taciturn, 

 and abominate questions from a stranger — you may 

 possibly get an answer, which will be somewhat to this 

 effect, — " lis pfechent tons les jours," — in other words, that 

 they fish at all times. Continue your questions, and you will 

 find, that not content with netting and spearing in the 

 bays, they ascend the rivers and fish both by day and by 

 night, not only duidng the fishing season, but also spearing 

 the fish on their spawning beds. And thus, are our fisheries 

 becoming worse and worse every year. In fact, so few 

 have been taken lately by the Hudson's Bay fishermen 

 that they are becoming careless of the fisheries — and 

 indeed, they themselves have ever tended to destroy them, 

 from the use of what I would call illegal nets. 



Another grave evil that requires the prompt attention of 

 the Legislature. Let us hear what Dr. Adamson, one of 

 the best authorities in the Province, says on the subject : 

 " Schooners from the United States have arrived in the Bay 

 of Seven Islands with armed crews, and set nets in the 

 Moisie in despite of the Hudson's Bay Company. The river 

 Bersinies is this year (1856) in the hands of a rapacious 

 and speculating American Company, who, with the Indian 

 spear — the negog — mutilated large numbers of this fine 

 fish, and after glutting the Boston and New York markets, 

 they brought some boxes to Toronto in September, when 

 they were out of season and unfit for use!" The Doctorfur- 

 theradds — "prompt action is required , if plans are not ma- 



