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NIUHOLAS TREET, I873! Price 40 Ors. TO JOHN MUm-, ESQ., M.H.A., WHOSE LiFB-LONQ LABOURS HAVl BEBN DEVOTED TO THll INTERESTS OP NEWFOUNDLAKD, THIS WORK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY M. CARROLL. mTEODUCTIQX. The noed of a work which, in asmall compass and in plain language, might give to tho inhabitants of Newfoundland a comploto knowledge of the seal and herring fisheries, and a bettor mode of prosecuting them, has long suggested itself to my mind as a want under which tho merchants, fishermen, &c., have heretofore laboured. But the circum- stances did not permit me to subtract from other and moro pressing duties tho necessary time and attention required upon a work treating on a question of such importance as this very lucrative branch of industry. Tho necessity of such a work has, however, never been absent from my mind, and to supply this wart, I have enclosed my ideas in this little volume, which I now submit to my fair and impartial readers. Tho importance of the fisheries cannot be over-estimated, tending as they do to develope a race of hardy and intrepid mariners, sud to supply to those engaged in them the wherewithal to earn an honest and profitable livelihood. To such a people, all useful information on these subjects must be of the greatest importance, and to place before them, in the language of '' a plain blunt man," tho researches and experience of a lifetime, backed by such information as I have been able to glean from thoso engaged in the fieheries, has been my sole object in wi-iting this book. In the composition I have carefully refrained from indulging in Latin or Greek quotations, believing that the English language contains words sufficient to express the most brilliant ideas, and I have not attempted to bo 6 pedantic or to mystify my readers. No p<^cuniary consid- eration, or anticipation of praise entered into my considera- tions in compiling this volume, but should it result in accomplishing my object— the diffusion of eound principles on this question I shall be more than repaid in the enhanced prosperity which the adoption of them will bring to the inhabitants of Newfoundland. THE AUTHOR. CHAPTER 1. THE SEAL FISHERY OP NEWFOUNDLAND. The SeftI Fishery— When Cret Prosecuted — Number of vessols employed In the Fishery— Manner of Stowing Pelt<»— Landing and Weighing — Re- moving Fat— Different kinds of Seala — Sagacity of the Seal— Attach- ment to their Young. Tho seal fishery was not prosecuted by the inhabitant of Kowfounclland up to tho year 1763. Twenty-four years after that date, 1787,4, 900 seals were talcen t)fi the ice and manu- factured into seal-oil. Tho year 1807 there woro thiriy seal- ing vessels, from 30 to 60 tons bnrthen, employed in tho prosecution of tho sealing voyage (all over the island of New- foundland) but since that date tho seal fishery gradually increased so much so, that in tho year 1857 there wero upwards of three hundred and seventy sealing vessels engaged in this fishery, from 80 to 200 tons burthen, united crows numbering 13,600 men, total catch 500,000 seals, old and young. Value £425,000 cy. In the year 1866 the were 177 sealing vessels and 5 S.S., united crews 8,909 men, employed in the prosecution of tho sealing voyage (all over the island). The year 1871 there wero 201 sealing vessels, and 13 S.S., united crews 9,791 men, employed in the prosecution of the sealing voyage. The following is a list of sailing vessels and steamers engaged in this industry in tho spring of 1873. HARBOB GRACE. Vbbsels. Mabtkiis. H o 3J Supplied by John Munn & Co (Sailed frcm Harbor Grace.) 8. 8. Vangard. . . . * .Munden.. . .322 8. S. Commodore. . .Hauralmn ..290 Glengarry Thomey., Ravcnwood S mart . . Vesta Keefe... Glencoe Dawe..., Cyrua Tarsons., Jessie Geary... .189 .136 .148 .133 .104 .114 230 210 90 86 75 70 56 66 Consort Pn-sons 190 53 Sisters t. Jong....l48 70 Eastern I'ackct ....!> vis 89 "" Union Ki .leally ... 105 Islay Brien 134 Rival Keefe 78 Si. Kilda I'arsons 70 38 Vulcau... Morgan 59 85 A.T. Stone Noel 57 30 Selina House 68 30 Elizabetii Furey 11 6 (Sailed from Bay Roberts.) Atiastatia Hennebury . 177 86 Rescue Dawe 146 80 50 60 70 43 8 Vessdlb. Masters. CD Brighton Hennebury.142 80 (Sailed from Brigus ) Escort WaMi 136 75 MatUda , Dooiing...l31 68 (Sailed from Carboiu-ar.) WaL-U8 Dwyer 131 06 (Sailed from Cataliua.) Altanta Perry 140 70 Supplied bt Eidlkt & Soxs. S. S. Maf^tlff Pike 245 169 ElizabetV Jaue Joyce lol 70 Sophia Heater 8« 45 Pol Sheppard . 76 45 Rusdinn Cleary 126 60 Margaret Davis 75 40 Mary & Annie Alcoek .... 66 35 Mary Jaiio Davis 67 35 CSailod from C'arbonear.) Cabot. .. Jeffers 126 62 True Blue Joyce 152 b?. Orient Joyce 172 51 Gulnaro Vatcher.... 83 40 Sweet Homo Roppr 67 33 Native Lass Doylo 49 26 (Sailed from Catalina.) Isabella Jlidley Hicks 1G4 75 By ;v. J. S. Donnelly. Creole Svapletou,. . 140 65 W. Donnelly Staploton. . .125 G5 Hecla Kiolly 117 50 (Sailed from ''.irbbncar.) Ticino Donnelly. . . 130 57 By rATJiusoN & Foster. Breadalbaue Pike 131 70 By D. GuiiEN. Susan F Jtzgorald . . 146 61 By William Butt. Lizzie Rutt 81 25 CARBONEAU. Supplied by Job, Brothers & Co. SuvCess Pearcy 12S 45 By J. & R. Maddock. Jane Ainilie KcnmHly... 99 45 By John Uohke. Thomas Ridley For ward. ..164 66 Elizabeth Pearce .... SO 29 William Fitzgerald. 146 74 TRINITY. Supplied by \V. Crteve !c Co. S. S. Lion Ash 29;? 153 Gem Froeioan. . 13'J •!'.> Isabella Faccy.. ... 112 63 Four Broth to Butler 43 2 J By Laine, Jou 8ton & Co. Emma Coleman. . 88 32 CATALINA. .Supplied by Murphy & Morris. Micniac rsowlau. . . 60 3S Young Prince . ...Murphy. .. 70 38 liy .Sealing <'oni!iauy. S. S. Merlin Wal.-^h .... 248 150 Supplied hy Jon, Brotuers? & Co. S. S. Neptune VVl;ito . . 4t)5 260 8.S. Niiiirod Cummins. .226 150 S. S. Hector Knight... 290 190 Bv J. k W. Stdar". 8. 8. Ranger Mullowney.853 220 S. S. Walrus Delaney . . 183 100 By Bowriwo Bkotherb. 8. 8. Hcwk Jackman.172 130 8. S. Eai,'lo Jackman..343 19*/ By W. Grieve & Co. S. 8. Wolf. Graham.. 553 203 * Good Intent Turner 60 33 By N. Stabb & Sons. S. S.Greenland Rhodes... 259 180 S. S. Iceland Parsons.. .28" 160 Hy Baine, Johnston & Co. 8. S. City Halifax.... Mortimer .463 260 S. S. Bloodhound Smith. . . ..15.3 £30 By S. Map.ch & Sons. 8. S. Osprey Marca. . ..176 jOO Ijy p. Eogbhson & Son. Kitty Clyde . . . : Noel 129 60 Lark Antle 68 .iO -•^/fturel Morris 54 30 By Stabb, Row it Co. Prima Dunna James. ... 125 51 Sarah Gnice King 103 45 Wt f-tern Packet Flari hv. . . 40 15 By CliB-t, Wood &"Co. Brothers Callahan. 134 64 •Sailed fro.n Bonavista Bay. BIHGUS. Supplied ey Baine, Jojinston Ht, Co. Pearl Wilcoxa .1.32 60 S. S. Panther Bartlett. . .288 140 B.ilplutha Wilcox. . . 133 60 Dawn ..Clarke.... 113 60 By Goodpellow & Co. William ..Wholan...l3iJ 63 By Job, Bros. & Co. Sultana Clarke ...104 48 Maxim Clarke... 142 53 By W. Grieve ii Co. Susan Smith. ... 134 56 Garland Smith.... 130 58 lioieiuitth Dawe 63 24 John Bull Byrne. ...133 60 Bv BowuI^^^ Bros. Water Witch Spvacklin 63 26 Herald Bartlett. . 123 55 By J. & G. Smith. Zoppho Poberts.. 59 30 Superior Roberts. . 68 36 Slierbrook Wilcox . . 74 39 By p. & L. Tessier. Havolock St. John. 110 52 By Petei Bitlkb, Jlary I'.arle 36 18 By Johi^J Bond. Jane Rabbitts. . 76 30 BAY ifOBFKTS. Supplied by Bai.ne, Johnst^ . &■ Co. Ecliittic Delauov..l49 65 R.S.C Delaney..l81 65 Elizabeth. , Bowring. . 60 27 By Elmsly & Culleton. Thos. Baglev... Cullelou. . 60 27 By C. DAfl-K, Rolling Wawe Dave 152 76 Bv Harvey & Co. S. S. Tigrejis BartU'tt . . .173 IOC iEl^rhts year's total cn'ch old and young 5-6,000. » Sailing vessels as well an S. S. are pounded off in the hold to prevent the seals pclto from shifting. Pelts stowed care- fully, hair to fat, so as to prevent the fat from " running." Seals' pelts are never Btovred away in the hold of sealing vessels or S. S. until perfectly cool, seals' skins that get injured are of no VJ^'ue. When vessels arc kept out late in May, the skins of all l:in''s arc weighed with the fat as landed out of the vessel, the price of the injured skins is deducted out of the full value of the proceeds of the cargo. The seal fishery of IsTewfoundland has now become a very important part of the trade of the country; . The tr.ne for prosecuting the sealing voyage commences the 1st of March and seldom exceeds two months, and is often performed in two or three Wv.eks. Several sealing veiiBels and steamsh ips make two voy- ages from the first of March to the last of Miy, and upon rare occasions three. The owners of all sealing vessels find ail the boats, sealing gear, powder, shot and provisions, in consideration of which they are entitled to one-half the seals, old and young, the men nvo entitled to the other one-half. In steamships the ov/ners find all and every thing required for the prosecution of the sealing voyage, and receive § of the value of the seals and the meji ^. The masters of seal- ing vessels and steamships are paid so much for sealn' pelts taken and delivered from on board their respective vessels, which payment is taken out of the owners' i)art of the voy- age. The men that go in stcum^hips pay no berth money, those that go in sailing vessels pay from $4 to ^ij as berth money — the berth moiicy dcpenu.s on the character of the man. The first operation of the landing and weighing is the skinning or removing of the fat oft' the skin, and this is accomplished by extending the seals' pelt on a table 6 feet by 4 (in an oblique direction) which is placed on the floor and raised 28 inches, behind whicii the skinner stands holding the skin and fiit in his left hand, removing the fat with a skinning knife in his right hand : a^^ood t-kinner \\ ill remove the fat from the skins of 450 young harp hcals in ten hours. 10 Skinners are paid a certain sum for skinning the fat off each rioal's polt and charged with the injury done each skin whilst removing said fat (10 cents for every hole cut in the skin). The skins are at once salted, packed one over the other, flesh side uppermost. After the pcri>jd of three weeks sea) skins properly h'andled are considered cired and fit for shipping. The different kinds of seals that frequent the coast of Newfoundland and that are taken by ice hunters in the spring, killed by men that live in the different bays all round the Island during the winter, summer, and spring, also taken, in seal nets during the fall of the year and spring are classed as follows: The square flipper seal, (he hood seal, the harp seal and dotard or native seal of Newfoundland. The native seal never leaves the island. When three years old they are called dotards, and their young rangers, which they have when 3 years old on the dift'erent island rocks in the differ- ent bays, all round the Island, but more particularly in the northern bays. From the middle of 3Iay to the first of June may be reckoned their whelping time. They are very saga- cious, should they^have their young on the rocks before time is given to kill them with the gun, they will take them in their mouths off the rocks into the water ; should the young one bo too large to be taken in their mouths, the old seal Avill stoop down so as to enable the young cne to get on her back and thus bring it into the water, taking care at all times to be out of the reach of gun shot. When they approach the surface of the water, when tangled in seal nets they will ■ cut thcnipelves free — no other seal known in Newfoundland will cut the twine of a seal net but the native seal of New- foundland. Persons engaged in the prosecution of the salmon fishery during the summer months suffer much by them : often known to take the salmon out of one end of the sal- mon net whilst the salmon catcher is overhauling the other end. They never congregate with any other species of seal that visit the coast of Newfoundland ; they keep the different bays until they get frozen over, then they repair to the dif^ ferent Island rocks off' the shore and there remain fishing n until the bays are free of ice. About the 20th July they are prime. The weight of an old dotard seal skin and fat is from 80 to 100 pounds ; the weight of their young skin and fat, when ten weeks old, will average from 30 to 35 pounds. Tha skins of the native seals are more valuable than those of any other seal that visits the coast of Newfoundland, being spotted, and are much used to cover trunks, make beautiful seal skin coats, gloves, &c., &c. Many opinions are given as to whether the different seals that congregate round the Island of Newfoundland breed more than once a year. It is well understood by the salmon catchers that have lived for years in the different bays, that tlu) native seal of Newfound- land will breed but once a year. However strange it may appear, it is not the less true, that the native young seal sheds its fur in the whelping bag, for after it Is whelped a lump of white fur, about the size of a large goose eg^, nicely packed and perfectly dry, covered with a viscous matter, is seen floating about in the water, it looks like a little mass of froth. The young native seal of Newfoundland is beauti- fully variegated with black spots, and as pleasant to the taste as any description of salt water bird. CHAPTER II. vll The Square Flipper Seal— Why so called — Time of Whelping — Number of young at a birth- -Average weight of Male and Female— The Hood Seal— Explanation of the term " Hood"— Time of Visiting tho Island — Attachment to Young — The Whelping Bag— How it guides the Hunters— Colour of Hood Seals, weight, &c. THE SQUARE FLIPPER SEAL. Tho square flippers are the Largest description of seal, that are killed on the coast of Newfoundland. Thev never con- gregate with any other seals, are very scarce, not more than one hundred being taken each sealing voyage all over tho Island. Persons who live in tho northern bays and " follow the gun" during the winter and spring, kill a few of them. Many aro seen in the straits of Belle Isle as well as about St. Paul's Island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, thev havo their young on tho ice about the 20th March : the reason they are called square flippers is, the flippers are square at tho top, thus ditlering from all species of seal taken on the coast of Newfoundland. They are very quiet and very fond of their young (never more than one). If seen on the ice they are sure to bo killed. A male square dipper prime will weigh from 7 to 10 cwt., skin, and fat when full in flesh his w^eight varies from 13 to 15 cwt., tho female from 4 to 5 cwt., skin and fiit when prime. A young square flipper when sixteen days old will weigh from 160 to 170 pounds, skin and fat. The skin of the male and female squaro flipper is of a cream colour, the female has four teats (no other seal known in Newfoundland has more than two). All seals teats protrude about one inch outside the skin whilst the young is sucking, after which they are drawn in, so as to prevent them from injury whilst tho old seal is crawling on ice or rocks. Tho oil rendered out of square flippers fat, old and young, when prime, is considered as pure as the best 1 is young hiirp oil. Length of an old square flipper from head to tail, 11 to 12 feet. THE HOOD SEAL. The hood seal is the next largest seal that is taken on ihc coast of Newfoundland. The male is very fierce and difficult to kill, they derive their appellation from the fact that as soon as the male finds himself in danger, he will inflate a hood of skin that covers his head, until it is the size of a two gallon pot^ he will also inflate one membrane out of each nostril about 9 inches long, the round of a small cofl'ee pot, of a dark flesh colour, which gives him a formidable ap}>ear- ance ; the skin of the head is so thick that no stroke or strokes that ho may receive from man or men at the same time with gaff" or boat hook will kill him, unless struck in the throat or on the side of the head. Hood seals are very active when in the water, and will keep continually looking at you whilst swimming away from you. No other seal but the native seal swims like a hood. No matter how largo the gun or how heavy the shot you fire at him you will not kill him, even within the length of the gun unless he rises In the water so that you may shoot him in the throat,or that he turns the side of his head towards you. (Ice hunters seldom use bullets). Hood seals swim very low, only the top of their heads being over the water; they never congregate with other seals ; they visit the coast of Newfoundland the same time as the harp seal, which is about the 25th February. Much depends on the state of the weather, which has much to do with the arrangement of all kinds of seals that resort to the coast of Newfoundland in the spring and fall of tho year. Hood seals always keep to the eastward of the harps, amongst the heavy ice, and select high spiring ice to whelp on ; they are remarkably fond of their young, so much so,, that if you come up with a ftimily, male, female and young one, they are easily killed. It often hajipens that if the female and young one be killed the male will mount the ice and take the carcase in his mouth and bring it into the water 14 in tho act of which ho is vary often killed himself. The skin and fat of a male hood seal prime will weigh from 3^ to 4^ cwt ; when in full flesh his weight varies from 8 to nine hundred pounds. The skin and fat of the female hood seal will weigh when pfime from 1^ to 2 cwt. The female of this species has no hood on the head or mem- brane out of the nostrils, and is by no means as fierce as the male ; the female will allow herself to be killed rather than abandon her young, before it is at least ten' days old. A young hood seal when sixteen days old (provided tho mother can attend it) will weigh from 55 to 60 pounds skin and fat, whilst the female hood seal is in young and before tho young one is whelped, the fur which is of a cream colour falls off; the new hair or fur is of a blue black colour with a muddy white streak down each side. "When the ice hunt- ers come across the whelping bags containing lumps of white fur or hair they know at once that it belongs to the hood seal, and believe that the harp eeals are to the north- west of them or in other words inside of them. It is a well- known fact that thousands more of harp seals visit the coast of Newfoundland in the spring and fall of the year than hood seals. Hood seals are somewhat more plentiful in the spring in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, as many of them are killed by persons who reside on St. Paul's Island. The skin of the breeding hood seal, male and female, is of a blue black with thick small white spots. Length of a hood seal from head to tail from 6 to 8 feet. ■1 CIIAPTEE in. The Harp Seal— The Hunting Season— When it begins— Need of a law to Regulate the Departure of Vessels— The Evils of early Departure — Sharp Scent of the Seals — The Food of the Seal— Destruction of Cod fish by the Seal— Migrations of the Herring and Seal at the same time —Annual Destruction of Seals by Ice jams — Dangers of Seal Hunting — Advantages of ^'.ailing Vessels over Steamships— Hints to Sealing Masters— The Effects of Sun and Frost on Seals— Quantity of Oil obtained from different Species of Seals. THE HARP SEAL. The harp seal is the next in size to the hood seal. The reason they are called harp seals or " sadlers" is, the male seal as well as the female has a dark stripe on each side from the shoulders to the tail, leaving a muddy white stripe down the back. The male harp seal is very black about the head as well as under the throat, his head is bluff like that of a bull dog. The female harp is of a rusty gray about the head and white under the throat, her head is sharp like a Newfoundland dog. The harp seals as well as all other seals known in Newfoundland breed not till they have attained their third year. When the harp seals have the black stripes, which is called the " saddle," they are called breeding seals, and not till then. The hai ^> seal is by no means as attached to its young as the squa'"!? dipper or hood. The harp seals are very numerous. Were it not for obtaining the harp seal, old and young, off theice from the 10th of March to ^the last of May, it would never pay the expense incurred by fitting out S.S., sealing vessels and men for prosecuting a sealing voyage each spring. The sealing voyage up to this spring (1873^commcnced the first of March, as no sailing vessel would be insured in the country until said date. A few masters run the risk of starting 8ome years on the 28th February. Forty-six years ago seal- 16 ing vessels did not leave the different ports in the Island until the Hth of March, or thereabouts, for the prosecution of the sealing voyage, at which date the ditt'erent kinds of young seals were not considered prime until the 20th or 25th of March. But at date 1873, in consequence of the S.S and sealing vessels starting the first day of March, killing old and young between the 15th and 20th of same month, very many of the old seals have their young very much earlier, indeed some young seals are considered prime at the 16th day of March. IVom the 5th to the 10th March is considered the whelping time of the great bulk of the harp seals, and from the 10th to the 15th the whelping time of the hood seal and square flipper. A male harp seal when prime, skin and fat, will weigh 2 cwt, ; female, skin and fat, will weigh IJ cwt. When they are in full flesh, the weight of a male harp seal varies from 7 to 8 hundred pounds, of a young harp seal when 15 days old, provided the mother attends it, the ykin and fat will weigh from 40 to 45 lbs. * vVhen 30 days old it will not weigh more than 30 lbs., when 9 months old it will not weigh more than 40 lbs., when 12 ■ lonths old it will weigh 70 lbs., skin and fat. Harp seals when whelped are called white coats, on account of the fur c hair being of a cream colour. When 16 days old they be- gin to shed their hair ; they then become dark about the eyes and hinder flippers. Oace they begin to turn they are called " ragged jackets," the skins are then not of as much value. When 12 months old they are called bedlimers ; when 2 years old they are called turning harps, when 3 years old they are called breeding harps as the saddle is apparent. Weight of a young harp seal when whelped is from 6 to 8 lbs., according to the age of its mother ; they are very vigorous when whelped, nursing very soon after. The voice of a female seal is of a soft murmur bordering on a growl. An old ceal will dis- tinguish the cry of its young amongst thousands. Young * The carcass of a young harp seal after the fat is taken off will not weigh more than 15 lbs. 17 soaU seldom travel off the pan they are whelped on to find their mother, the mother is sure to find them on the ico. Admittin<]j the ic was driftinp^ with wind, tide and sea at the rate of 4 miles per hour, for days the old seals are sure to keep up with their youig. The period of gestation is stated by different persons to be 12 months, my opinion is as to the period of gestation of the seals that are known in Newfoundland is 9 months. Seals' length is short as com- pared to their breadth, distance between the ends of the outer tons when spread nearly equal the whole length of the foot. When taken into account the date, say the 20th Feb., when seals are first observed passing Eonavista Capo going north trimming the Northern ba;) .-i, pi ided they are free of ice, the belief is that seals would whelp on the inside part of the ice if not disturbed by sailing vessels and S.S., the fact of perhaps from 150 to 200 sailing vessels and 20 S.S., united crews numborin,'^ some ten or twelve thousand men with 7 or 8 hundred sellings guns, would frighten and scatter seals of every description so far apart, that such seals so disturbed may not be seen for the spring afterwai'ds. No matter what may be said or written upon this important point, if there is not a colonial act to regulate the departure of sailing vessels and S.S., prosecuting the seal fishery eay from the 10th to the 15th March for S.S., from the 5th to the 10th March for sailing vessels, the seal fishery of Newfoundland may soon and very soon dwindle away to such a character that it will not be worth the risk of money to prosecute it. All kinds of seals known in New- foundland are governed n >re by scent than sight. When in water or on ice it is almost impossible to get a shot at them, for they are sure to scent you within at lease 500 yards of them, provided you are to windward of them ; no sooner does a seal scent you than it dashes into the water, a sure sign you are observed. I have not the least doubt but that an old seal will smell the smoke of a S.S. from 7 to 8 miles off, provided the S.S. are to windward of them; they will smell the smoke on the ice, and avoid mounting on it. Seals of B 18 every description are i>osse86od of tniich instinct in procuring food and providing for the safety of their young. White fish is considered tlie principal food of the seal. It is the first fish that swarms along the northern coast of Newfound- land in the spring of the year, and the last that leaves the northern coast in the fall. Having frequently killed seals with cod fish in their mouths, as well as seen cod fish on pans of ice, left there by them, I believe millions of quintals of cod fish are destroyed by neals that swarm around the coast of Newfoundland, judging from the number of young and old seals that are killed each sealing voyage, and like- wise from the multitude of them that escape each succeeding year. I also believe that from 3'to 4 millions of seals con- gregate round the Island of Newfoundland from the month of July to the la,st of May, not lesH at all events than 120 days. Allowing each seal only one cod fish each day they, Would destroy some 3 or 4 million quintals, calculating 120 cod fish to weigh one quintal. If such should be the case, it ' therefore accounts to a certain extent for the short catch of cod fish in every fishing station all round the Island. If I am correct in my judgvuent, the greater the increase of seals on the coast of Newfoundland tho greater will be the decrease of cod fish on the coast of samo. In the spring of the year, provided the northern bays are free from ice, white fish are sure to visit the bottoms of such bays. Once white fish got well embayed after the 20th of February, nothing but a continuation of N.E. and I], winds and severe frost will drive them outside. As long as white fish are in with the land, m sure will seals of every description be there, as white fi«h are swarming along from the Labrador coast, when in drift of the straits of Be) le Isle, provided the winds hang at the time they are swarming along south from the E. or N.E. After November montn, white fish are sure to pass through, taking after them thousands of all kinds of seals known to ice hunters. No doubt a vast quantity passes along outside, and swarms south until they come to the Island of Baccalieu, which Island divides Trinity Bay from 19 Conception Bay. I consider all description of seal^ that swarm along from the northward when in drift of Baccaliou Island, all such seals will fish on a branch bank that loads to the Island of Newfoundland from the main trunk or grand bank that leads along the S.E. coast of Newfoundland Island to the coast of Labrador, which grand bank runs along north some 50 miles to the eastward of Baccaliou. It is during the months of December and January that all kinds of seals known in Newfoundland, as well as herring, white flsh, &c., &c., leave the coast of Labrador and Newfoundland and swarm along until they arrive at the Island of Baccaliou, and return each spring the same way. Seals are never soon B\wing or fall in large numbers to the south of Baccaliou, along shore. No matter how thin the ice is during whelping time, seals are sure to whelp on it as long as it will bear thoir weight, as every moment it will bo getting stronger as the " slob" or " sish" ice drifts oif the land, or drifts in from sea against the shore, pressing such ice together. Seals that are mostfonvard in young'are always the most northern after they leave the fishing ground for the purpose of whelp- ing. Old breeding harps are the first to start, and when all whelp the young brooding harps that wore loft southern frequently pass on by the old and become the most northern. Seals of every description are something like salt water ducks goi? g north in the spring of the year in flocks, one day thousands will be seen going northward and in 4 or 5 days after thousands more going in the same direction. Seals of every description known in Newfoundland proceed the same way every year. Seals endeavour to go as far north as they can with safety advance ; they will go until they meet the heavy northern ice ; they will be sure to keep in the lee of it as the sea is generally smooth. Seals of all kinds will keep out of rough water when amongst ice they are frequently killed between pans of ice when a heavy soa jams them together. At all times during the spring if there is a heavy sea, the seals are sure to mount the ice, and whilst on it, provided it runs together, they are certain to be jammed. g!M 20 It 1*8 thon that old seals arc jD^onorally killed. Sealn will keep amongst the ice late in the spring for the purpose of rubbing off their old hair and cleaning theinHclves, which they cannot do in the water. After a body of old seals quits the ice they will leave their old hair and large scales of the old skin behind them. The great object is when ice hunting masters come up Avith old seals on loose ice to keep by them and remain qniet until tho ice runs together, for if ser.ls are once dis- turbed it is a difficult task to fall in with them again. Patience is everything for tho governmcrkt of men, when following old seals late in the spring. Old seals know tho more northern tho more safety for their young, as there is less danger of a southern send or sea that would wash their young off the ice before they are at least ten days old. Such is the arrangement of all kinds of seals that swarm round the coast of Newfoundland, that the two year old seals and one j'oar old seals remain on tho southern fishing banks of Newfound- land daring tho months of December, January February and March, and some springs part of April. Such being the case tho bedlimers and turning harps (two years old) do not con- gregate with the breeding ones during whelping time. It is not until tho breeders leave their young that tho one and two year old seals mix with thorn, and swarm north for their summer quarters. As long as such seals do not mix with others in the early part of the spring, so long will the pre- sent valuable stock hold good. No doubt some springs most of the young harps and hoods are cut up, and some springs thousands upon thousands of them escape, as there are many large spots north and south of tho Island of New- foundland that are never seen by the men who prosecute tho seal fishery in tho spring. In the spring of 1871 some 500,000 seals, old and young, wore taken. To test tho number of bedlimers that were got, let the bedlimers skins be count- ed, and it will then be ascertained that they did not amount to more than 3 per cent, of the grand total brought into port byice hunters sailing out of Newfoundland each spring. Ice 21 hunting masters that go on a socond trij) woukl act wisely to aacortuin if the bediimern and two yeai* old harp seala lot\ tho fishing ground to join tho breeders. It often happens that vessels that go out the second trip before tho bodlimers go north, yet jammed, during which time, the bulk of all seals passes outside of them. As long as old seals art soon boat ing S.W., a sure sign the two and one year old seals have not loft tho fishing lodges, &c. blasters would therefore do woU to bide their time, and carefully watch the movements of the old brooding seals. I hold that any ice hunting master that will after April comes rouna go beyond Cape Charles to got old seals he will return without them : when seals got as far north as Capo Charles they abandon the ice. When seals whelp they select sheet ice, they keep holes open through it to get to their young j such holes will have a rim of ice round them, which is caused from the water tho seal forces up before them, thoy are sm-o to keep on 3 sido of the hole on a level with the water that they use getting up and going down. Seals generally whelp some 3 feet apart, and Irequently at the same time, consequently they get in young at the same period. Owing to tho vast^^ number of old and young collected together their cry will bo hoard for miles from whore thoy are, and particularly if you put your ear on tho ice. There is no wind that blows that will break up the whelping ice equal to a strong S.E., let tho differ- ent northern bays bo ever so deep inland, S.E. wind will bo sure to break up the ice, west wind will blow it off tho land, N. and N.E. wind will string it along, S. tido will separate it. It is not until the ice.gets well off the land that it gets pinnacled up, or forced against the land. It is well understood, that after young seals are whelped that their "whereabouts" depends on wind and tide, the smoother tho ice the more it will raft or pinnacle up in heavy weather. No doubt ico hunters have many dangers to contend with amongst the many, none so great as when the ice begins to raft. Some vessels will " hoave out" on tho ico and not injure, owing no doubt to the form of the vessel's bottom ; somo 22 Tessels tho ico will make a " trade way" over them owing- no question to the form of the bottom, &c. Ice does not very often raft in a body, but in sections caused by heavy fields of ice, perhaps one hundred miles distance from the vessel, striking that particular section of ice in drift of where the vessel is driving the heavy ice before it. Let good f cs not be so uneasy about S.S. destroying the seal fishery, or in other words the seals that are known in New- foundland. Believe me the spring of the year will arrive when S.S. will get a grinding from the rafting of ice with the land when there is a heavy sea or indeed a moderate sea, and the wind blowing on tne land will be quite saffi- cient to do the job. As long f*.s the ice is well off the land the S.S. are pretty well all right, but let the body of old and young seals be in with the land, S.S. as well as all other sealing vessels iiust run the risk of coming in con- tact with the land and sea, or the masters must be satisfied to return to port as they loft it at the commencement of the spring voyage. In the spring of 1871 that splendid new Brig the Confederate with an experienced captain and 75 men, as fine as any country under the sun could produce, left Harbor Grace for the sealing voyage. The brig was driven ir.to Bonavista Bay, jamined in the drift-ice until it struck tho land, seven miles to the westv:ard of Caj)e Bonavista. There the brig remained for ten days, and not a wag in the water or amongst the ice ; the men in anxious waiting for an off shore wind, when without any apparent cause a large flat pan of ice a short distance from the brig moved slowly onw^ards until it struck the after part of the keel and whipped ten feet of it away. So keen Avas the cut that it was not observed until tho brig began to make water, and obliged to be abandoned by the master and men. Many in all probability of the S.S. at present engaged in the prose- cution of the seal fishery on the coast of Newfoundland will, no question, sooner or later meet with a similar fnte as that of the brig Confederate. Sailing vessels will " heave out"^ when jammed in the ice and escape uninjured when S.S.. would be squeezed to atoms. i 23 When sealing vessels are jammed for weeks in the ice, the masters ought to pay particular attention to the quarter of the compass the tide flows from, as it oftou happens that the vessel 'a drifted with the ice into a body of young and old seals during the night. Crew in high hopes of making a good day's work, next morning notwithstanding the ice being jammed during the latter part of the night and an almost perfect calm prevailing, so that it .vould appear impossible for the seals to get into the water dm*ing the night, next morning, there is not a seal of any kind to be seen on t*ie ice, the master will calculate on the ice drifting with the light puff of wind that was, and point his com-se accordingly, not in the mean time calculating or examining how the tide flowed during the time. Many valuable trips of old and young seals are lost each spring for want of forethought on the part of ico huniing masters. Above all masters should bear in mind the character of the ice, as the tide will have more force and effect upon rafted ice, there being so much more of it under water than over. When drift ice is wafted by gales of wind, the tide generally flows with it. Tide will not act much on ice, once it comes in contact with the land ; the tide or current runs in vei'cis in the early part of the spring on the coast of Newfoundland. One body of ice is often observed pass in a contrary direction, no doubt caused by the flowing of the different currents. Islands of ice are fre- quently known to move onwards against very strong breezes of wind, causing the loss of sailing vessels and steamships, particularly when there is a heavy sea and that the vessels or steamships are moving along with the wind and jammed in the ice. Great exertion is used on the part of the crew to prevent their vessels from coming in collision with the islands of ice that approach them, against the wind. Whatever chance there may be of extricating a sealing vessel with a good crew of men, there is no chance whatever of extricating a steamship, that is, provided she is jammed in a body of drifting ice she is sure to hook it notwithstanding her power of steam, &c., &c., &c. Islands of ice, islands of 24 (P:< -iiiiii: III ii::,ii land, points of land frequently split lf.rge patches of " whelping ice," which to a certain extenfc accounts for the different spots of old and young seals being in different places. Each species of seal will endeavour to whelp all together in a list N. and S., as near as possible. Spots of all kinds of seals are often considered by ice hunters to extend one hundred miles and ircm one to four miles wide Seals taken in such a latitude North, and seals taken the same day one hundred miles South strengthen the guess. My opinion is iliat there are many long separations in the distance of the hundred miles where a seal of ary kind is never seen, and that it is in such sepaiu.'ons that ice hunting vessels pass through "cutting off" and " cutting in," missing the seals each spring. Seals know the character of the weather that is going to be if embayed. They are sure to swarm out at loast two and sometimes three days before the wind blows in on the land; they will also know where a lake of wat'r is in the ice sheet or drift some hundred miles more or less from where they are by the reflection of the light through the ice. Seals in full speed when " bolting " will swim in the water at least one hundred miles per hoar. Seals do not use their fore flippers Avhen in water " bolting," they keep them snug to their sides. Whilst swimming they are sent headlong by the power of their hinder flippers ; their favorite position when swimming is on their back and side. Stand over a hole of water when seals of all kinds are bolting along under the ico. and although you may not be more than ten or iifteen feet fro.-xi them, you will only observe a bluo shade, admitting the water is perfectly clear. A wild goose is supposed to fly at the rate of sixty miles per hour, if so, you can observe the body of the goose and its head some ijf miio from you, therefore it is not so very unreasonable to note that a seal swims one hundred miles per hour, as you can observe only a blue shade of a seal at a distance of ten or fifteen feet under the ice. When seals get embayed and are kept there some number of days and cannot get into the water owing to the ico being 25 jammed, they begin to travel out in a direct line for the water. Supposing the water to be fifty m;ies from them, they know well by scent where it is, for you will see them stretch out their necks and sniff; should the ice part in any direction from them they will at 6nce turn round and avail themselves of it. Much depends upon the character of the ice they have to travel on as to their rate of speed; they travel principally by night. I have killed them with the hair and skin worn off the fore flippers and bleeding. "Were it not for the fore flippers they could not mount the ice or travel over it. All kinds of seals known in Newfoundland travel to that degree so as to over-heat themselves, then the fur or hair is loosened and the skin becomes almost vab 'ess. In a cool night seals will average about one mile per houi'. Much depends on the character of the ice they have to travel on ; they travel by lifting themselves from off the ice on their fore legs or fore flippers and hitching their body after them with a kind of sidelong loping galop. An old seal when on level ice will outstrij) a smart fellow in a distance of 60 yards, provided the seal is ten or twelve feet ahead of him. About the middle of April old seals, and two and one year old, mount the ice to scrub themselves. If on ice of a warm day the skin on the back is sure to be sunburnt, so much so, that you can tear it off with your fingers ; they will remain on the ice to be killed when once they get sunburnt rather than go in the water. When they do get in the water they will cry with pain and sometimes mount the ice again. Seals' fore flippers are not connected by joints but by ten- dons and flesh, the hinder flippers are united to the body by joints. Seals pelts left exposed to the sun will burn and become worthless so far as the price of the skin goes, they will also born with the frost and are also valueless. Seals of every kind known on the coast of Newfoundland have many dangers to encounter, particularly as they will at all times endeavour to whelp as near the shore a*i possible, be- cause instinct teaches them that the nearer the rocks the shallower the water, so that when they abacdon their young 26 Mi ones the little creatures will see the bottom, so as to ehable them to procure their food. When youn^j seals are whelped near the shore, and a heavy sea comes on, thousands of them are ground to pieces with the sea against the rocks. I have frequently watched the old female harps bolt up through the ice in a heavy sea and drag their young ones off the ice into the water out of danger. Again, when the ice begins to raft where young seals are,thousands upon thousands of them are also chopped piecemeal ; and when on single pans floating about< I have seen sword fish, sharks and many other description of fish take them off the pans. When such fish are in chase of seals old and young, the seal will at once mount the ice for safety. The sword fish and other fish will got on one tide of the pan and press it down in the water until it is at such a grade as that the seal must slip off amongst them and be torn to pieces. I have been on pans of ice when seals mounted the ice to avoid the sword fish and sharks, and obliged to fire at the monsters to keep them off. A seal will shake with fear, and should a man be on the pan when sword fish and sharks are after them, they will run between the man's logs for protection. As stated before, many opinions arc rendered as to whether seals breed more than once a year. Seals are of different kinds so are dogs, the pug dog and the Newfoundland dog are of dif- ferent kinds, nevertheless they will carry their young the same number of days. The native seal of Newfoundland has, I know, young, but oiice a year, consequently all descriptions of seals known on the coast of Newfoundland have young but once a year. The milk of all breeding seals is of the con- sistency of white paint. It is well understood that while the mother seal can visit its young one undisturbed from the day they are whelped to the twelfth day, such young ones will increase in fatness at the rate of four pounds of fat jier day according to the age and size of its mother, The question is often asked, do seals increase or decrease- on the coast of Newfoundland. As far as I am capable of judg- ing they increase. Taking into comparative account the num- 27 ber of sealing vessels and steamships that are engaged in the prosecution of the seal fishery at the present day and the number of sealing vessels that wore employed fifty years ago, comparing the catch at both periods, persons -would be induced to believe that seal? were not so plentiful. Having resided in Newfoundland for the past fifty years, I know from experience that the winters are by no means as severe as formerly. Seals that resorted to the east side of Newfoundland in days gone by, the same family many thou- sands of them resort to the west side of Newfoundland. Such seals are seldom seen by the ice hunters that fit out from the east side. In the spring of 1858 there were 90 sailing vessels prosecuting the seal fishery on the west side; vessels belong- ing to Halifax, Magdelene Islands, &c., &c., &c., tonnage from 60 to 25 tons each, and two out of La Poiie, all of whioh returning each spring to their respective ports with old and y oung seals. The same spring thousands of white coats were driven on the " whelping ice " into La Poile Bay all along the coast as far as Fortune Bay head. The oj)inion of the inhabitants with whom I conversed was, that all the young harp seals must have come from the west side of Newfoundland, at all events, they were positive that they did not come from the north-east or the north-west side of the Island of Newfound- land. Judging from the prevailing winds at the time, they must be whelped on the west side or whelped to the south east of Newfoundland. The 20th February, 18'72, a body of bcdlimers one and two year old and a few old breeding harp seals mounted the slob ice, when there was a very heavy sea at the Flower Eocks to the south of Bonavista Cape, and extended in a circle at least thirty miles west I'rom the Flower Rocks, and as far as I could judge them, not less than two miles wide. Such a description of seals were never seen by the oldest ice hunter, the skin and fat of the female hf rps weighed from 140 to 160 lbs. each. When the young ones were cut out of them they were much larger than tho iii 'y, !/li run of young harps cut out of female harps on the lOth March, proving that such seals were of a different family to the seals killed by ice hunters prosecuting the sealing voyage out of Newfoundland. ]^any opinions are ventred as to whether a mild or severe winter is better for the prosecution of the sealing voyage with sailing vussels, steamships and seal nets. I hold that the more severe the winter and the earlier it sets in the more successful and prosperous the sealing voyage, the greater will be the quantity of ice on the coast ; and should the prevailing winds hang from the 1st March from the eastward or south-east all the northern ba;y8 are sm'e to be blocked up with drift ice, which will prevent the old seals getting embayed as well as hinder many of them from going through the straits of Belle Isle, keeping the great body of the breeding seals between Oape Charles and Belle Isle until whelping time comes round. No doubt vast numbers of old and yoimg as well as two and one year old seals pass through the straits every spring, no matter what description of winter we have or from what quarter of the compass the wind blows, as there ai-e families of seals that always resort to the straits, and whelp on the west side of the Island of New- foundland. All such seals, hoods and harps, are by far larger, fatter, and produce more seal oil than the seals that always keep on the east side of the Island, such seals being less distui'bed, therefore their young are much larger and fatter as their mothers can remain the due time with them, &c. If a mild wintei*, seals of all kinds frequently wholp well up White and other bays, and there remain unobserved until old enough to go in the water off the ice. The first rain after young seals are some twelve days old, they begin to " dip" in the water. When young seals first begin to dabble in the water they require at least five days amusing themselves before they are able to get out of danger. After young seals take water they begin to congregate together by themselves. 20 and become much thicker when they mount the ice. Ice hunting masters are very often deceived a mild winter, not wishing to run the risk of coming in contact with the rocks- Everything connected with the prosperity of a sealing voy- age depends upon tLe cxuartor of the compass the wind blows from after the 28th Feb., as off shore winds (from the west- ward) in the early part of March drives the ice off to sea, thereby giving sealing vessels and S.S. a good chance of ranging through the ice. The least swell or sea will bo sure to separate it. In calm and frosty weather the ice is sure to run together, and become one solid mass. Often sail- ing vessels as well as S.S. are surrounded with such ice, out of which it is impossible to extricate themselves by any force brought to bear by men or steam. Nothing like smart breezes during the month of March and up to the 15th April (winds variable). Masters of sailing vessels ought to turn their attention to the best possible method of extricating their vessels out of sheet ice. At present sailing vessels are furnished with two spars from 20 to 25 feet long crossed at the bows and secured with rope, a number of the men hold on by such spars and break the ice and separate it with their feet, by which means a start is often accomplished, but much depends on the thickness of the ice. If the men should not succeed, ice saws are used, and by sawing the large pans into squares the vessel is set at liberty. Seeing the wonder- ful power of steam, an ai*rangement in the fore part of a seal- ing vessel worked by steam would, I do believe, be attended with much benefit, &c. The seal fishery at the present day being of such vital importance, anything thvat relates to either the catching of seals or the manufacturing of them into seal oil cannot be uninteresting ; however, I do not now ijropose to shew any new method of achieving the one or the other, but to give the relative produce of pure seal oil of the several kinds of seals, with a view to an equitable price being established. It is not long ago that seals were sold from on board the scaling vessels by count instead of by weight, and as their val ue ao increased the greatest niceties were observed to determine their relative value. After careful and repeated experim ents in rendering out seal's fat exposed to the weather in barrels, I ascertained the following results : — 1 barrel of old harp's fat will weigh 228 lbs., Produce 22 J gal., Residue 73 lbs. 1 «' « young " " " " 225 " " 22 " « 52 " 1 « '< <' hood " " " 230 " " 21 " " 80 " 1 " « old and bedlimers fat mixed 246 " 21 " « 103" The skins of all kinds of seals are weighed with the fat, and may be calculated at 15 per cent. 29 cwt. of young harp's fat, after deducting the tare, say from 1^ to 21b. for flesh adhcrincj to the fat of each young seal, will produce one imperial ton 256 gallons; 30^ cwt. of mixed seal's fat will produce one ton, 256 gallons. The loss sustained by damaged skins one year with another may with safety be considered tj- per cent., particularly seals that were killed and bulked on large pans of ice and there left exposed to the weather even for four days before taken on board vessel. Formerly every description of seals' oil was entirely manufactured in wooden vats exposed to the weather, vats capable of containing from 3 to 4 thousand seals' pelts. The first drawing commenced the 10th May. At the present day seals' fat is rendered out by steam about the 10th April. The fortunate ice hunters begin to drop into port from the ice hunting voyage, and so rapid is the process of steam, that I have known four thou- sand seals pelts to be landed at Messrs. John Munn & Co.'s establishment at Harbor Grace, skinned and fat rendered out into pure seal oil in twenty-four hours. After giving the oil sufficient time to cool, it wa^ prepared for shipment. All seal's oil rendered out by steam meets a ready demand in consequence of its superior burning qualities and its freedom from any disagreeable smell. Miners prefer young seals' oil extracted by the agency of the sun, as it will be more exempt from smoke than seal's oil extracted by steam. Miners are not very particular about the smell, provided the oil is not smoky. For mining purposes seal oil will fetch at least from 2 to 3 pounds sterling per ton more than oil that would cause much smoke. When old seal's fat is mixed with young determine periments n barrels, sidue 73 Iba. ' 52 " ' 80 " ' 1G3 « e fat, and ig harp's for flesh luce one fat will lamaged dered 7J J Iked on ^er even ly every wooden ng from menced Jred out hunters and so ir thou- & Co.'s red out the oil t. All and in •eedom als' oil xempt *rs are is not least (v^ould roung 81 the oil thence obtained is somewhat smoky. When seal oil is drawn off out of tank all the oil rendered out of the young seals fat is sure to come first, which is called pale seal, and under the young seal oil the old seal's fat oil is called straw colour. CHAPTER IV. PANNING OF SEALS; OR, THE SYSTEM OF EXTEI?^ MINATION. Panning seals — The loss occasioned by this practice — Its tendency to ex'.er- minate the species— Need for legislation in this respect — General remarks on miscellaneous matters. No greater injury can possibly be done to the seal fishery than that of bulking seals on pans of ice, by the crews of ice hunters. Thousands of seals are killed and bulked, and never Been afteinvards. "When the men come up with a largo num- ber of old and young seals, that cannot get into the water, owing to the ice being in one solid jam, they drive them together, selecting a pan surrounded vvi:b rafted ice, on which thousands of seals are placed one over the other, per- haps fifteen deep. A certain number of men is picked out by the ship master to pelt and put on board the bulked seals; whilst others are sent to kill more. It often happens that the men are obliged to go from one to ten miles, before the;- come up with the seals again, and very often the men pile from five hundred to two thousand in each bulk, which bulks are from one to two miles apart, care is also taken that flags are stuck up as a guide to direct the men where to find such bulked seals. So uncertain is the weather and precarious the'shifting about of the ice as well as heavy falls of snow and drift, that very often such bulked seals are never seen again by the men that killed and bulked them, as the vessels and S.S. are frequently driven by gales of wind far out of sight or reach of them, and frequently wheeled or driven into another spot, where the men again commence killing and bulking as before. In many instances it has happened that the crews of vessels as well as the crews of S.S. have killed and bulked twice their load. No doubt seals that are bulked are often picked up by the crews of other vessels, but 83 such is the law, that as long as the flags are erected upon the bulks, and the vessel or S.8. is in sight, no man can take them, notwithstanding the vessels or S.S. men that bulked them may be ten miles away from them, whilst another vessel may be driven within a quarter of a mile of the thou- sands of bulked seals, but owing to the law dare not tal j them. Sometimes after seals are bulked, heavy gales of wind spring up, driving the vessels or steamships that claim them twenty or thirty miles from them, as well as the vessel that was driven within one quarter of a mile of such bulked seals, which vessels men had plenty of time to put hundreds of them on board before the gale of wind came on, but dare not touch them, as distinctive flags were placed near them. Ice hunting masters make it a standing rule to have the seals bulked on large flat pans. The first evil is, that if the wea- ther is severe, many of the skins are sure to be frost burnt, and if it is fine and the sun shines out strongly they are sure to be sun burnt ; so between frost and sun thousands of seal skins are rendered valueless. The second evil is the greatest known to ice hunters, viz : the ice rafts to such an extent, that no matter how large the pan of ice may be on which the bulked seals are, it frequently capsizes and the seals are never seen afterwards. In the spring of 1871 there were three pans of ice with flags stuck up on them and about four miles to the south of Bonavista Cape, and not less than four thousand seals were on them, but owing to the severity of the weather the men from the shore could not venture to take them. A few determined men, however, got their " turns" (four each). The bulks were from one quarter to x)ne mile apart. Taking the state of the weather and heavy sea at the time to account, none of those seals were ever got by the crews of sealing vessels or steamships that panned them. They were all ground to pieces at the Flower Eocks, as the pans that tfie seals were on passed over them. The understanding that ought to be between masters of sealing vessels and steamships should be that as long as the men that killed the seals and bulked them, and hauling them *1. u by day or night, no man has any right to nKxidiowith them, but the moment the crows leave the seals that they have bulked unprotected, that moment such seals are froe for others to take away. By such an arrangement thousands of seaJH would begot that are destroyed, as flags are often blown down causing those that placed them there much trouble to find them again. Last spring, 1872, some five thousand seals were got to the westv/ard of Capo Bonavista by the inhabi- tants of the town of Bonavista: there were thirteen flags to bo seen in the morning over bulked seals, and when the drift ice struck the land in tho evening only six of the flags were visible, tho ice having rafted over flags and seals. Some days •after, when the ice moved oif from the shore, several bulks of seals were found, but in such a putrid state, that they could •not be handled. At the lowest calculation I make bold to istate that not loss than from ten to twelve thousand pounds (jUri-ency Worth of seals' pelts is lost to the country each seal- ing voyage by the present system carried on by sealing mas- ters and their crews I GENERAL REMARKS. The male seals that frequent the Island of Newfoundland were never known to have but one female seal as thoir mate.* The fact of seals old and young remaining without food seems contrary to nature. 1 took particular pains to examine the stomachs of several young seals after being abandoned by their mothers, and always without finding any traces of food in them ; indeed, I have kept young seals myself for 20 days in a tub fiHed with water to test how long they would live. As long as there is a particle of fat adhering to the skin of a joung seal it will live without food. I am pretty sure that -once an old seal whelps, her cons , in t anxiety is to take care *of her young one and nurse it a* ; iduously, for after 20 days attendance, which is generally the time the mother seal keeps with their young, the breeding seals reduce very fast, at least one half their weight, that they were before whelping. J[ have also examined the stomachs of hundreds of old breeds • At. the verv lowest calculation these a'^ Twenty Male Hfirp seals to ib9 One Female ! * 86 ing hood and harp seals whilst on the ice with their young, and to my knowledge never found a particle of any descrip- tion of foot!. The circumstance of seals being in t e water and upon ice for a period of notions than one month without taking food, may be well considered worthy of note. That they must live by absorption is evident, that is, by consum- ing the substance of their own bodies, because when they whelp they are voiy fat and fleshy, and after some 12 or 15 days nursing their young they are very lean, so much so, that if killed in the water they are sure to sink. There is no fat inside of any descripcion of old seals, or any mixed with the flesh at any period of the year. All the fat of seals is •annexed to their skins. The linings of the throat of every description of seal could be made an article of commercial value. I procured several of these and sent the same to Scotland to have them dressed, and ascertained that the gullet or fish pipes of all seals would make beautiful gloves, &c. The female seals sleep in the water on their sides and receive the male. I have also observed them in an upright position face to face, the male seal's head generally under water. The eyes of seals being adapted to seeing in the water, their vision is feeble when they are out of that element, therefore they h^ave to depend mainly on the success of hear- ing and smelling for warning of danger : hence when on ice every sound keeps them, constantly looking at the direction from where the noise ppocecls. A seal net is generally fifty fathoms long and 16 feet deep. The twine they are made of is about throe times the size of salmon wet twine ; it will require sixty pounds weight of such a description of twine to make a seal net. The net is made on an 8^ inch card ; they require 20 lbs. of good cork cut up in pieces T inches long and 2J inches in the middle and sharp at both ends, and placed one fathom apart on the head rope. A seal net when taken out of water with all its gear will weigh some 200 lbs. Cost c f a new seal net when put in S6 water ?^28. Seal nets are always placed on the bottom where seals are known to fish fall and spring. I have taken several times from 8 to 10 harp seals cut of a seal net, value from 7 to 8 dollars each. Ground sharks destroy a vast number of seds when secured in nets. Sharks will take the size and shape of a man's head every bite out of the fat, and not touch the flesh until all the fat is eaten off. Sea worms are sure to eat the fat and Aesh off a seal if left four days in net, leaving the bones beautifully polished. Seal nots will get frozen, and whatever seals that may bo in them, in fifty feet of water. To prevent them from rising to the surface of the water in frosty weather very many of the corks are taken off, as the corks attract the frost. IGE HUNTING MASTERS. For the last fif y years I have been from time to time well and intimately acquainted with ice hunting masters, nine tenths of them- when they first took charge of ice — hunting vessels generally brought into port what is usually termed " good saving trips." It is strange to say but not the less true, that the longer a man takes charge of an ice hunting vessel the less he knows where to obtain a trip of old and young seals. In a word, the prosperity of a sealing voyage one year with another depends upon chance, and I will go farther and say that three fourths of the heavy trips of seals' fat that were brought heretofore into port as well as the heavy trips of seals' fat ^ I'ought into port at the present day were got also by chance. Springjafter spring I have known ice hunting vessels to get jammed in the ice, and there kept so long that the men despaired of obtaining a profitable trip of seals. When the ice separated the vessels were free, and next day were driven amongst thousands of old and young seals. Steamships as well ae sailing vessels are very often, owing to gales of wind, obliged to run into the ice for safety much against the master's will, and the very place tlie master wished above all things to avoid turned out to be the very 37 spot where what he was seeking after was — plenty of seals. As soon as the luck turns with ice hunting masters let him give up taking charge ! It is above all desirable that ice hunting masters should be determined, active, watchful and sober men, and not o^^er fifty years old. Masters ought to be very particular in the selection of their crews, for I know from experience that the prosperity of a sealing voyage depends in a great measure upon the determination and por- fieveranco of the men in many cases more than the master I I.' i CHAPTER V. The Herring Fishery— Time of Spawning— Advantage of Nets over Seines — Causes of loss 'during Shipment — Need of Strong Barrels — Superiority of Labrador Herrings— Hints to Catchers— Need of Legis- lation to compel— Shippers to Brand all Packages of Herring. HEEEING FISHERY. Up to tho prosent date many and various wore the opinionB given, both written and verbal, as to the best possible modo of preserving the Spring, Summer and Fall Hen-ings that resort to this Island. Having been a resident of the North part of this Island for a number of years, having visited tho Labrador, and spent two Summers on the Westward Coast, in the several places which I visited I always endeavoured to make myself thoroughly, acquainted with the best and surest way of saving Herring, so as to make them a good aid profitable article of Trade. As soon as the Ice moves off the shore in the diffexont Northern Bays,in Spring, the Herrings are sure to strike in spawn, and however strange it may appear, it is not the less true they will always visit the same harbour, cove or creek, each season to spawn, and very nearly on tho same day. If not prevented by ice when spawning time arrives, tho Herrings will swarm to the beach, always selecting a sandy one for such purpose, where they can be taken in seines, herring nets, cast or dip nets, in large quanti- ties, so numerous are they in 8i)awningtime. Herrings taken in tho spring, all round tho Island, are very poor but generally of the same size. Herrings taken in seines are deprived of the silvery scales that make them look so beautifully bright, which is caused by the quantity enclosed in the seines pressing and rubbing one against 89 another, and thereby boating off the scales, and giving the fish a dark blue appearance ; and upon examination it will be found that the back bones of all Herrings taken in seines are broken in several parts, in consequence of which the inside of the Herrings is of a dark bloody charac- ter, which of course is caused by the Herring endeavouring to extricate itself, consequently before being removed from the seine they are in an injured state. Herrings taken in nets are far superior, as they are not deprived of their silvery coat, and by no means injured inside : and not only that, but Herrings taken in nets will stand good longer without salt than those taken in seines, for this reason : Herrings taken in seines being deprived of their scales, the wind and sun will act on them and make them putrid much quicker than those taken out of nets, as the scales being so closely connected all over the fish they act as a cloak so that the weather cannot so soon injure the fish. The difference is, that those taken out of a seine, if not under salt in four hours will bo of little value, when those taken out of nets at the same time will not be injured in eight hours. From observation I believe there is no fish that visit this country so liable to bo injured by being expose! to the atmosphere, as Herring and Lance. There is no wind that will injure fish of any kind more than South "West. Indeed fish will injure more with a south west wind, and no sun, than with a north west wind and sun. The weather has gucat effect on fish, and parti on li^rly on Herring, and persons ergaged in tho Herriiig fishery ought to pay parti- cular attention to it. =■ I was often astonished to see the careless manner in vhich Herrings are handled, firstly by the catcher, and secondly by tho purchaser.' A quantity are taken in seines, out of which they are removed and put in boats, and brought alongside of tho vessel and thero placed on the deck ; a quantity of salt Is shovelled over thorn, after which they are shovelled down into the hold of the craft until the catcher obtains the quantity required. If it is a winter fishery, very 40 little salt is used ; if a spring fishery, it requires more. All the Herring catchers care about is that the fish receive enough of salt, so that they will stand good until arrival at St. John's. The purchasers examine the Herring, which appear sweet and in good order, after which a landing takes place [state of the w^jather not taken into account.] Some catchers remove the gills, &c., before salting, and some do not. Those taken in the spring and summer are generally gibbed before salting ; those taken in the winter are not very often gibbed. If the gills, &c., are not removed, men and boys are employed for such purpose. They are placed in difierent lots, a barrel in each lot, on the wharf, and a quantity of water thrown on them to make them look clean ; after wlii^^h packing commences. From the time Herrings are firs 'inded from on board the vessel, until they are barrelled, c. re often left exposed to a burning sun, the effect of win-. . is that tliey are actually putrid before they are under pickle, and to a<''I to its injury, the barrels are left on the wharves exposed to the sun until the pickle become luke-warm ; after a contiruous filling up and making good the leakage of the casks, they are shipped and when they arrive at the port shipped for, such Herrings are declared of no value, and in many instances not allowed to be landed, but thrown overboard or sent back, as the case may be, which of course annoys the shipper, knowing that ho himself examined the fish in the fii'st place and also had them carefully examined, inspected and brai.ded, and all donu under the Inspector's eye, and aftor all turns out of no value, uotwithstanding the heavy expense iucui-red by the shipment. The cause of the loss complained of is easily accounted for, viz. : Herring as well as all other fish that are intended to be preserved by salting, should be so treated as to receive a full duo of salt at once, so that the fish should be full struck. If fish be half salted at one time, and left in that state for four days, such fish cauuot be preserved for any 41 length of time, no matter what quantity of salt may bo used about them afterwards, the fish will receive no benefit from a second saltii.g, the preserving by salt must bo accomplished by the first salting. Herrings half salted or corned, as it is termed, and then put in the hold of the vessel, and not exposed to the force and effect of the weather, will look good and sweet, and if used at once will answer very well ; but such Herrings left exposed to the sun and wind for a few hours will bo rendered worthless, no matter what .care and attention may be given to them afterwards. Persons intending to prosecute the Spring, Summer or Winter Herring Fishery, in vessels, ought, in the first place, to provide themselves with Vats, the boards used for building the same to bo of sufiicient thickness to caulk, wid so made that such Vats should bo in compartments, 80 as to contain from five to twenty barrels each. The object is, that one day's catch would not be mixed with another. For soino days five barrels may bo taken, and some days one hundi-ed; and such Vats to bo placed in the hold of the vessel until her arrival at tho Herring station, and there united together and properly ai'ranged along the deck,or on shore and to bo furnished with tight covers. As soon as the Vats are erected, caulked and covered, lot them be filled with strong pickle, so that when the herring is brought alongside, in place of putting them on deck, exposed to the weather, let thom be deposited at once in the Pickle, and there left until properly struck, which can be easily ascertained by tho stiffness of the herring. The best and surest way to test the Pickle is to fill a small woollen bag with large salt, and deposit it in tho Pickle for fifteen minutes, and if the Pickle is sufiiciently strong to put the herring in, the salt in the bag will not dissolve ; the floating of a herring or potatoe in Pickle is not a good proof, as its value as a test depends on the specific gravity of either, which greatly varies. The time allowed for hon*ing to remain in pickle must be regulated by the state of the 42 ii if weather ; if the weather is warm, three days will bo quite sufficient; and if circumstances prevent the packing the herring out of the Yats into the barrels, after the term of three days, to prevent them from mouldering, owing to the warm state of the Pickle, one-third of it should be drawn off and fresh Pickle added. By drawing off one-third of the Pickle, as stated, you can with perfect safety allow the herrings to remain in the Yats until you can attend to the barrelling of them. Above all, herring catchers ought to take the herring barrels with them, so that the herrings would be secured after being removed from the Yats. If desirable that they should be gibbed, &c., before barrelling, it can be performed, and the herring will receive no injur} , as such work can be performed in a short time, and all can; be accomplished at a period when no other work can be attended to. Some are of opinion that large salt is best or repacking or packing, as the case may be. From experience, I hold with fine salt, as it will dissolve much quicker than large; and it cannot be denied the sooner the herrings are under salt or pickle, the better. By depositing them at once into Pickle, such scales as adhere to the fish cannot easily be removed ; which will make them look bright and good, but from fish placed on the deck of a vessel and shovelled about, the scales are entirely removed, which makes them appear dark and bad. It ought to be the consideration of all persons embarked in the fishery to see that the herring barrels are of a strong description. I have always considered that much of the loss sustained by shipments of burring arose from the infe- riority of the herring barrels : to wit, staves and heading slight and • full of knot holes, hoops not strong enough for water buckets. "Where such barrels are shipped in any quantity, they are not sufficiently strong to bear up the weight of each other; and no matter how tight they appear to be when shipped, should the shij) they are put on board of encounter heavy weather, little or no pickle will be left in the barrel. The question is oftea asked, how is 43 it that Labrador herrings aro generally good when brought homo in the fall ? for this reaaon — Labrador herrings are packed in strong pork barrels or pun- cheons that will hold the pickle ; no matter what pres'^uro they undergo oi what weather they encounter, the cask will not leak. The good or bad quality of herrings depends much on the strength of the barrel they are packed in, as well as the care taken of them after being barrelled. The usual way is to have the cask bored in the bilge for pickling. It would be much better to have the hole for pickling in the head of each cask, for this reason. If the hole is in the bilge, you cannot see if the cask leaks without taking out the bung ; and if the herring oil, or grease, rise from the fish, it remains in the cask to the geat injury of the herring, for it will be sure to turn them rusty, and of course injure them. If the hole be made in the head of the cask, and as the cask is always filled to the rirn with pickle, therefore, should the cask leak, and as the barrels are always arranged head up, such casks as leak are easily detected ; and such oil or grease as may rise from the heiTing is sure to be on the top of the barrel, which of course will be removed. Again: no purchaser or dealer in herrings ought to allow them to remain exposed to the weather ; all should be carefully stored when branded, and so arranged that if kept in store over fourteen days, the Pickle should be drawn off each barrel down to the first quarter hoop, and fresh pickle added to replace what was drawn off, and by no means to allow the casks to remain in one position. The position of each cask should be altered when re-picklcd, every fourteenth day at least. The benefit that the herrings thus receive is obvious, since much of the strength of the pickle settles down on the bottom of the cask. As a case in point, let a puncheon be filled with fresh split cod-fish, which puncheon will contain about three and a half quintals of fish, when made and in order for shijiping. Persons who pickle co'ifi'^h in puncheons, never put salt on the three first lines placed in the bottom of the puncheon, and very 1: isSi t 44 I >< little ou the fourth line; as they fill up the cask, they increaao the quantity on each line of the fish, and on the top fish, better than one half of an inch is put on it. Not- withstanding which, the top fish are often light salted, and the bottom fish in the puncheon, are saltrburned, and often muat bo watered before being exposed to the sun for making. Herrings required for warm climates should be dry salted, and persons instructed to procure such herrings, would not err by cui'ing them in the following manner : After the herring is properly struck in the vats, such herring to bo taken out of the vats on a cool and drying day and left on the deck of the craft, so that the Pickle should drain off. A pound should bo made in the hold of the vessel, that would contain the quantity required, and the herrings carefully placed in bulk, back up, as much depends upon the time it will take before delivery from the vessel ; and if salt bo required to be strewed over them, fearing they might injure, such salt should be of the largest description and j^erfectly dry, as the main object is to have them well saved; and all moistui'o dried up before placed in barrels, as dry-salted herring. All should be removed as quickly as possible from the vessel, i»nd if they appear in a dry state, let them be barreled at once, and if found in a wet state they should be carefully packed in bulk in the store, back up, until perfectly dry and fit for barreling ; and care should be taken that the salt required for such Herrings should be well dried and of the largest kind, and the cask should be made perfectly air tight. Herrings so made up may be considered well cured, dry salted Herrings. And such fish will stand any climate for a reasonable period. Many opinions are given as regards the Inspection of Herring; I believe it is pretty well understood that the present mode of Inspecting Herring is a bad one. Some seem to say that the introduction of a Colonial Act authoriz- ing th^ Collector of Her Majesty's Customs to appoint In- spectors to bo made independent of the exporters ; such Inspectors to be paid out of the revenue of the colony, and ,t ■ ! 45 that the exporters slioulcl pay to said Collector bO much jier ban*el for each barrel inspected and branded. Such an Act if put into operation would not remedy the evil complained of. My opinion is that no Colonial Act that coiild be in- trodnced would answer a.s well as to leave the management of them to those whose interest it is to have them properly made up. "Why have Inspectors for salmon and herring and cod fish, and no Inspectors for oil and skins and no Inspectors for fish shipped to Brazils and West Indies in casks ? See what care and attention is bestowed on these packages, and how particular the ship])er is to have his own name branded on each package. If Herrings and Salmon were left to the shipper'.": -^wn arrangement, I feel perfectly convinced very little would be heard about Herrings of an inferior quality being shipped out of the country. Indeed the only way a colonial act would be beneficial is that all Herrings shipped out of the Island, and not branded with the owner's name, should be liable to a fine, and that no HeiTings or Salmon* should bo cleared out of the Custom House that had not in full the name of the owner branded on it. When in Burgeo and LaPoile, I observed that all packages bore the name of the shippers, and of course due care and attention were taken that no article of fish was made up that would not add to the character of the establish- ment from which such articles were shipped. At present the merchant blames the Inspectors and the Inspectors blame the merchant, so between them both the Herring of the country has got a bad name : herrings that if properly hahdled, are not inferior as to richness of flavour, &c., to those imported as a sample, but indeed far superior. It is a well known fact that if the Herring fishery of this country was carried on with due care and attention, it would be the means of giving lucrative employment to thousands of the people, and be the means of enabling them to procure the common necessaries of life, which I regret to say many a worthy family are this day destitute of The great and wise policy of the people of Newfoundland •it' ■^li 'f\ 46 "2}! *^^. *° ""i,'" '"'"'* '" ^""•^ «"'' P™^" ^itl- reckoning offec what can be done to improve the condition of thf people, who are one and all anxious and willing to step for! ward to improve their respective conditions in life My sole end and aim in writing thislarticle, is to endea- vour, m an humble way, to throw out^uch suggestions as appear to me, if acted upon, would make the Hefring fishery eml^^k T "^ ' 'f r"' r™'""™""" '»>°«'' -"» should ZeZ^J ■ ""'*"''','" *'"' ?«*«<="«»" of it, and be the means of givmg employment- to thousands of men women and children all over the Island. ' A DISCOVRSE CCVTAINING A LOVING INVITATION BOTH HONOVRABLE AND PROFITABLE, TO ALL SVCH AS SHALL ADUENTVRE, EITHER IN PERSON OR PVRSE, FOR THE ADUANCEMENT OF HIS MAIESTIE'S MOST HOPEFVLL PLANTATION IN THl NEW-FOVND LAND, LATELY VNDERTAKEN. »■ 4 WRITTEN BY" Captain Richard Whitbovrne, Of Exmovth, in the Covnty of Deuvon. IMPRINTED AT LONDON, BY FELIX KNYGSTON, DWELLING IN PATIR-NOSTER ROW, 1622. ■J TO The Right Honovrable Henry Lord Gary, VISCOUNT or TAULKLAND, Controller of Hn Marntie^ Household, and one of Hh M. most Honovrable Prluie Councell. atestie s *- m f 49 RiaiiT IIonovr^vdle: The plantation of Nevvfonndlnnd to which my former discoiu'HO (not vn known to your Lordship) in a htirbinurt already chaliieil out the way, and so farre pro- uaiicd with the cleereno.sHO and solidity of your iudgenient that, lying on the natural! truth of my reason, I am confident there need no second motives to confirmo your Honour's approbation of my first, seeing the same hath been approuod by the Lords of his maiesties most Honourable priuio coun- coU, as a work both profitable and necessary for his maies- tio's kingdomes in general, but because the atfoctions and resolutions of men doe sometimes freeze instead of heating, and most decline when, to the eye of the world, they socmo most to duance, I have therefore aduentured to fortifie and assist my former printed discourse with this second, and by vnfolding other reasons vnto all such as are willing to be aduenturers in your pretended purpose, whereby to make it appai'ent that the said Plantation bears its persuasion with it; yea, that it hath all the ■ -ounds and runnes on all the feet of good probabilities, a Keligion, Honour, Em- pire, and Profit — for it wil propagate christians where there are as yet but few ; it will adorn the crown of our soueraigne with a spacious continent : yea, it will empty England of many people, which may so well be spared, and yeerely replnish it with abundance of treasure, which it so much wanteth, and althou my insuing discourse be plain, yet affirmatively auerre, it is true, for as I have delighted in the latitude of matter, and not in the attitude of words, so I have written it out of my certain experience and know- ledge, and not out of any borrowed speculation, as hauing many yeeres, with much labour, industry and cost, played the practicks part in that countrey, as well as the thcorike, and therefore know well how to reduce my former contem- plation into future action, as it may partly appear by repre- senting your Lordships eeverall circuits of land in that countrey (to the open view) in her native and naturall w ^a 50 colours, and by proposinn and discovering the meanes hoWy and whoro the Plantation may bee made firmo, flourishing, and profitablo to all such as will adventure therein. Now as you have vndertaked it with much zeale and judgement, 80 I no wayes doubt, but you will be the meaiiCb to establish and settle it with rcnoune and profit, and even as little pinnaces does often looke when the greater ships .vill weigh anchor , whereby they may passe with the more safety vnder their conduct vnto their wished port, so the eyes of many subjects doo rejoyce, that your Honour gives spirit and life to this Plantation, whereby they may bee employed therein. For mine owne part, I have received many testi- monies of favour from your hands, during my long attend- ance at court herein, although as yet the subjects are not posscst with books, whereby they may be informed of the validity of the reasons they containo for the establishing of this Plantation, and thus I humbly present these my endea- vours as a thankful expression and acknowledgement in part oJ such great favours as I have already received from your hands until the providence of God and the pleasure of his Maiesty commanded mee to make triall of what my two- discoveries and narrations have proposed and promised. Thus with hearty desire unto the Almighty for your long life, with increase of great honor and happinesse, I will ever remain. Your Lordships, in all duty and humblenesse to be com- manded. ElCHARD "WhITBOVRNE. TO THE EEADER. Good reader, I have in my former printed disco iirse laid, open a discovery of the Newfoundland, and purpose in my second labours ^o acquaint all vndertakers cf that Planta- tion, what particular profit may redownd to themselves and posterities, and what honours (through their industry) will acceed to the English nation, beare therefore, I beseech thee, with my rough stile, and plain meaning, in which I strive rather to shew truth in her own brightneese, than to heape applause or glory to myselfe. To crown that countrey of Newfoundland with due praises, thai she may (by the ap- probalrion and favour of His Msiiesty) be instly called a sister- land to this great Island of Brittannia, Leland, Virginia. New England, and Nova Sotia, and that she mayclaimo her- self this bold and honourable title, tlie world, I think will bee on her side, especially because she, from her own mouth, doth shew what infinite and vnspeakablo benefits for many yeers together, the nigoteation of our kingdom with her hath brought to all our people, not only by the increase of mariners and shipping, but by inriching of many subjects, and so consequently by the relieuing of many thousands of families, which else had lived in miserable want for lack of honest employment ; our English nation having more than four score yeeres together made thriving and profitable voyages to that countrey, the possession whereof began in our late Souraigne of happy memory Queene Elizabeth, and so continues more strongly now in his Maiesty, without claime, interest, or authority of any other prince. Touch- ing the Island itself, it lyeth a great part there of more to the south than 47 degrees of north latitude, which is five degrees nearer the equal noctiall line than the city of Lon- don, the distance of it on this side from the continent of America bearing the same proportion that England doth to the nearest part of France, and lyeth neere the course and half the way between Ireland and Virginia. This proper and commodious situation of the place together with the correspondency of benefits, which not only England but Scotland and Ireland may, and doe recei v^e from the same, fiUes mee more with an ardent desire, so to haie her stilcd a sister-land, and worthy nxay that royalty 'jo bestowed upon her. For as Great Brittaine hath ever i "en a cheritih- iug nurse and mother to other forraigno sonaes and daugh- ters, feeding the^^ with the milk cf plenty, and fariening them at her breasts when they have been even starved at their own, even so hath this mother countrey of Newfound- 52 land from time to time giveti fVeo and liberal feritertftlnment to all that desired her blessings and chiefly (above all other nations) to the English. What receive wee from the hands of our owne countrey, which is most bountious manner, we have not had, or may have at hers ? Nay, what can the world yeeld to the sustentation of man which in not in her to bo gotten ? Desire wholesome ayre (the very food of Jife), it is there. Shall any land powro in abundant heaps of nourishment, &c., necessaries before you, there you have them. What seas so abounding in fish, what shores so re- plenished with fish and sweet water ? The wants of other kinguomes not felt here, and those provisions which many coun reys want, are from thence supplied. How mu-ih is • Spain, France, Portugall, Italy, and other places beholding to this noble part of the world for fish and other commodi- tie^ as is to be admired. Let the Dutch report what swcet- ftess they have suckt from her by trade thither in buying of fish from our nation, and (albeit all the rest should be dumbe) the voycea of them are as trumpets, loud enough to make England fall more and more in love M-^ith such a sister- land. I will not wearie thee (good reader) with leading thee to those famous, faire, and profitable riuers, nor to those delightfull, large and inestimable woods, neither over all those fruitfull and inticeng hils, and delightfull vallies, there to hawke and hunt, where there is neither clowne, noi* savage people to hinder thy sports. They are such, that in so small a piece of paper, as now my love salutes thee with, I cannot fully set them down as they deserve, and therefore intreat thee, with judgement, with patience, and with desire for the benefit of thy countrey, to reado over this discourse, vrhich I trust may incourage thee to further so hopefull a plantation, as it appeareth to bee, and also giue thee ample satisfaction, and just, cause to answer opposers, if any out of ignorance, or other sinister respects, flhall soeke to hinder so honourable and worthy designes. Bo wishing thee all happiness, I rest. Ever thine, for my countrie's good, ElCHARD WhITBOVRNE. 58 A LOVING INYITATION TO ALL HIS MAIESTIE's SUBJECTS FOR THEIR GENERAL GOOD. And although it be well knownc, that the Newfoundland yeeldeth yeerly such great blessings from God to maintain christians, yet many of our English nation, who in great fullnesse taste them, doe there as it were thread them vnder their feet, as may partly appear by the following discourse. For our nation, vnpon their arrivall yeerly to that countrey, doe cut downe many of the best trees they can find, to build their stages and ropmes|withall for their necessary occasions, hewing, rinding, ancb destroying many others that growc within a mile of the sea where they vse to fish. The rinds of these trees serve to couer their stages and necessary roomes, with turfes on them, so that in few yccres, I feare, that most of the good timber trees neere the sea-side where men vse to fish well either felled, spoyled or burned,yet at our people's departure some such roomes and stages they will sutfer but little thereof to stand, whereby to doe any more service the yeere ensuing. These are things lamentable to bo suffered, and great pitty that it is not redressed, for no nation else doth the like, neither do the sauago people after such time as our countrey men cam- Trom thence, either hurt or burne any thing of theirs, that they ieav. behind them, so that those trees and tha mber might be convert- ed to many seruicesable uses for gotxl of your Maiestio and your subif ''ts, and withall it is to be con^'Mlei- I thiU wiioroas now i^ivc arc yeerely at Newfoundland of yo^r Maiest 's subjects ships in the fishing tra<.io at least, 15,0o0 tunno burthen of shipping, as is already expressed, and that these shippers yeerely carric thither neer half their lading "! salt, to save their fish withall which cannot be less than 7000 1 unno, the which salt, wheth<^r it bee bought in Spain, Portugall or France at a cheape rate, it cannot cost lesse than sevou thousand pounds, which is but twenty shillings the i\> .lo; adding the freight thereunto for bringing it from thoso parts, it cannot stand in lesse than twentio shillings a tunno 6i Jil: \M more, which is seven thousand pounds more ; so that the salt may stand those that trade thither as the trade is now, with the waste and transportation of it thither, above four- teen thousand pounds, of which summe there is above seven thousand pounds yecrely I astowed in other countries which I should gladly e.hew some fit means that it may bee hence- forth sauod and brought into your Maiestie's kingdoms in coyne, or some other good commodities. The which way may be very fitly, commodiously and beneficially done, if those which yoerely aduenture thither, will settle people there in such order as aforesaid, in every h.irbor where they use to fish, and provide pannes in every such harbor to boyle salt to preserve their fish withall, the which may bo so formed there very cheap ; so in that manner one panne will make about twentie bushels of good salt every foure and twentie hourse° for that purpose, onely with man's labour and the salt water, and not as some doe vse, to make salt vnpon salt, and there it will bee vndertaken to be made with wood-fire which may be there had with little labours without charcole or sea coles, and that salt so made thereby shall not stand in threepence the brshel, lo these that will provide to make it in that manner, and now stands those that adventure there never less than twentie pence a bushell, I had a commission with me vnder the broade scale of the admirality, and did then therewith set forth to follow that seruice from the Port of Exeter, in the county of Douon, on the 11th day May, 1615, in a barke vituallea and manned with 11 men and boys at my owne charge, and I did then arrive at the coast of Newfoundland, in the Bay of Trinity vpon Trinity Sunday, being the 4th of June, and anchored the same day in the saiil Harbor of Trinity, and there in the name of the holy and undividuall Trinity, began to the vse of your Maiestie by virtue of that com- mission, to send forth a precept, to call the masters of those English ships that were then there riding at anchor, and also the masters of some other English ships that were- neere thereunto, and so began to hold the first court of admiralty 65 in your maiestie's name, that ever was lioldcn in that coun- trey, to the use of any christian prince. I conceive to bo necessary for those that shall henceforth trade thither, which as yet no man to my knowledge hath undertaken, and also be ready with my life and meanes, whatsoever I have or may have in this world, to discouer other bays and harbours round about that land which are yet undiscovered, whereby to find out some other new trades with the natiues of the countrey for they have great store of red oaker, which they use to colour their bodies, bowes and arrows, and can- nowes are built in shape like the wherries on the Eiver Thames, but that they are much longer, made with the rinds of birch trees, which they sowe very artificially and close together, and overlay every seame with turpentine, and in like manner they sowe the rinds of spruce trees, round and deep, in proportion like a brasso kettle, to boyle their meate in, which hath been well proved by three mariners of a shij)po riding at anchor by mee,who being robbed in the night by the sauages of their apparell and^divcrs provisions, did the next day secke after them and came suddainly where they had set up three tontg and were feasting, having theo cannowes by them and had ti'ee pots made of such rinds of trees standing each of thorn on three stems boyling with ludice fowles in each of them ; every fowle as big as a pid- geon and 807ne so bigge as a ducke. They had also many such pots so fowld and fashoned like the leather buckets that are used for quenching of fire and were full of the yolkes of eggs that they had taken and boyled hard, and so dried small, which the sauages used in their broth, they had great store of the skinnes of deere, bettners, beares, scales, otters, and divers other fine skinros which were well dressed, as also great store of severall goota of flesh dryed, and hy shooting oif a musket towards them, they all ran away naked without ary upparell but only thin hats on their heads which were made of scales skinnes in fashion like our hats. JSTow I will not omit to relate something of a strange croa- 11 hi n .S,| 11 i .66 ture that I fir»t saw there in the yocro 1610. In a morning early as I was standing b;'- the water side in the harbour of St. Johns, when I espyod very swiftly to come swimming towards mo, looking cheerfully, as it had been a woman, by the face, eyes, nose, mouth, chin, eares, necke, and forehead, it seemed to be so beautiful, and in those parts so well pro- portioned, having round about upon the head all them streakes, resembling hayre, down to her necke (but certain- ly it was not hair) for I beheld it long and another of my company also, yet living, that was not then far from mo. I stepped back, for it was come within the length of a long pike, whicl} when this strange creature saw that I wont from it, it presently thereupon dived a little under water and did swim towards the place w^here I before landed ; whereby I beheld the shoulders and back down to the middle to bo as square white, and smooth as the back of man, and from the middle to the hinder part poynting in proportion like a broad hooked arrow; how it was proportioned in the fore part from the neck and shoulders, I know not, but the same came shortly after unto a boate, wherein one William Ha wk- ridge, then my servant, was, that hath been since Captain in a ship to the East Indies, and the same creature did put both hands upon the side of the boate, and did strive to come in to him an