78 



Mr. Boswell of Quebec, who is well known to be an 

 ardent and zealous fisherman, and who is ever ready to 

 aid in all measures, that will conduce to the proper pro- 

 tection of the fisheries ; seeing the destruction brought 

 about by Dery's system of scooping; purchased of the 

 Seignior in 1849 the right of the fishery ; thereby pre- 

 venting Master Louis from practising his abominable 

 netting system, — observe the result. The fish were enabled 

 to get up into the higher waters, and they did so in large 

 numbers. But alas, for -the perversity of man — a few 

 miles above the bridge, there is a small tributary into 

 which the salmon made their way, which, having been ob- 

 served by some residents near the place ; they took a net, 

 barred the mouth of the stream, drove the fish into shal- 

 low water ; and captured no less than ninety five breeding 

 fish. Alas ? that no means are taken to prevent such 

 villainous work. 



What would have been the result, had those fish spawned 

 in safety. The Jacques Cartier, would the ensuing year 

 or two, have literally been " alive with fish," supposing only 

 one-half had been spawning fish, we would have had above 

 30,000 fine salmon in this river. No wonder persons get 

 disgusted with men and manners, seeing such self suicide 

 perpetrated ; and no means used to prevent it, by those 

 whose duty it is to look after the interests of the people. 



When Mr. Boswell bought the right of fishery on the 

 Jacques Cartier, he did it with the intention, in conjunc- 

 tion with others, of introducing into Canada, the artificial 

 system, but inasmuch as there was no Government pro- 

 tective measure, they were obliged to abandon it. 



