81 



report, recommended that "every British.boat should have a license;"" 

 ^otherwise, said he, "it is impossible to discriminate them from Amer- 

 icans." 



Those who seek to put an end to this state of things, whatever their 

 motives, do not take into the account that the instant they shall ac- 

 complish their object, border strifes will follow of necessity. Before 

 renewing their efforts, they may be kindly asked to consider that har- 

 mony and good-fellowship between the inhabitants of frontier settle- 

 ments are indispensable, and f^r better securities against the marauder's 

 torch and bludgeon than, armed ships or bodies of troops. 



The produce of the boat-fishery of the Bay of Fundy, and of the 

 Passamaquoddy, is not only small in value, but generally inferior in 

 quality. An increase of this fishery, under present circumstances, is 

 not desirable. The fishermen dress and cure the cod, pollock; hake, 

 and haddock — the kinds usually dried — in a slovenly manner. 



These fish, besides being rough and dirty on the "split face," fi:e- 

 quently "slime," and thus are unfit for use. They also smoke, pickle, 

 and pack the herring without skill anid care, and decay is the conse- 

 quence. There is no excuse whatever for such a course of conduct, 

 and every offender should be held to punishment. The gentlemen of 

 New Brunswick who complain of the decline of their fisheries, and who 

 seek to encourage them by private "associations," and by government 

 "bounties," should endeavor, first of all, to devise a plan to improve 

 the reputation of the fish of this part of that colony among dealers and 

 consumers. 



I find it stated in an official document* that in 1850, at the different 

 fishng-stations mentioned as within these bays, there were employed 

 62 vessels of 1,268 tons, 344 open boats, 55 weirs, and 1,337 men, in 

 catching and curing the several kinds of fish just referred to ; and that 

 the value of the products of the various branches of the fishery was 

 ^33,080t currency, or $132,320! 



These facts show that the fishermen received a miserable pittance 

 for their toil ; since, without allotving for the vse wnd depreciation of the 

 capital invested in the vessels, boats, weirs, nets, and other fishivg-gear, they 

 earned 'for the year less than one hundred dollars each. We may lament 

 that men who pursjie their avocation both day and night, mid rains 

 and gales, are so poorly rewarded. We may lament, loo, that the peo- 

 ple of Grand Menan, falling short of those of Campo Bello, West Isles, 

 and;the parishes on the coast of the main land, earn even less than the 

 average. But, what then? The fault is their own ; enturely so. They 

 may, if they will, produce as sweet and as well-cured pollock and cod 

 as do their brethren of Barrington, and as good colored and flavored 



- * " Report upon the fisheries of the B;^y of Fundy, by M. H. Perley, esq., her Majesty's 

 emigration officer at Saint John, N. B.; laid before the House of Assembly by command of hig, 

 excellency the lieutenant goTCmor, and ordered to be printed, 15th March, 1851." To this 

 minute, carefully-prepared, and valuable State paper, I am much indebted for statistics and 

 other information. Mr. Perley's endeavors to improve the condition and develop the re- 

 sources of New Brunsvpick, are entitled to the highest commendation of his fellow-colqnists. 



t No statistics for Grand Menan are given. Mr. P. says a dealer estimates the value in. 

 1849 as £12,000, which, in accordance with Mr. P.'s suggestion of bein^ too high, I assume to 

 have been £11,000. 

 6 



