tion of the British West India Islands
and North American Maritime Colonies."

He entered St. George's Harbour, the chief resort of the fishermen and
traders, on the 27th of July. "It is situated," he said, "in the angle
of a deep bay between Aguille and Cape St. George, the town being on the
promontory and having deep water close to it. No village can be better
placed for the herring fishery, as these gregarious fish at the season
of their arrival on the coast enter this harbour, as it were, into the
cod of a net, whence they are lifted into the boats by scoops and
buckets. With such slender means possessed by the inhabitants, the
average catch amounts to twenty-two thousand barrels; but hundreds of
thousands might be taken, were encouragement afforded. Salmon are also
caught in the neighbouring rivers, which are alive with undisturbed and
neglected trout. The barrels in which the herrings are packed are said
to cost two shillings and sixpence each, and some new regulation
requires additional hoops, which, to those concerned, appears a
grievance. It is said the herrings must realise ten shillings per
barrel, in order to repay costs and labour, but the last advices from
Halifax state that eight shillings only are offered by the merchants.
The French, I understand, attend more to the cod fishery. They are not
at liberty, if they adhere to the treaty, to draw nets on the shore.
There is an American merchant here who deals in truck with the English
settlers, and obtains from them about a third part of the herrings
caught, which he sends to the United States in such of the numerous
American schooners employed in the fishery as enter this bay. The
unauthorised British settlers here are said to be very jealous of
intruders, as they consider they have an exclusive right to the land and
fisheries in their actual possession, and from which all are, by treaty,
excluded. They seemed suspicious that the _Wellesley_ might have some
motive in entering the bay contrary to their interests. No person
whatsoever came on board, nor did any one come off to the ship, even to
offer himself as a pilot. Some persons were lately desirous to set up a
saw-mill, which would have been important, as they obtain all their
staves for herring-casks, &c., from abroad; but the sanction of the
inhabitants could not be obtained. There is no magistrate or civil or
military authority, no medical man, and, perhaps fortunately, no
attorney. Indeed, there is