269

[Verso]

[here?] they that with [?] dips
of the small hoop nets set from the
canoe, from 3 or 4 to a [dozen?]
fish could be taken at once--
Black bass could be caught
from the shore almost anywhere
with the hook & Line by the dozens.
These fish were not then pro-
tected in any way; it was kill
and slaughter as men liked.
Now what is the result? I have
not visited Napanee since 1838
to remain in it, beyond a few minutes
till Wednesday last, when I accustomed
the old fishing grounds of my youth,
making enquiries regarding fish etc.
and was more than astonished
to learn that, no one knew
of Pickerel, Sucker, or Bass being
in the river for many years back.
All these fish had disappeared; the
result of ruthless, barbarous destruction
of these fish in former days when in
the act of spawning: “the Goose that
laid the Golden Egg had been killed
and now the small remnant of
these poor fish, yet found in other
parts of the Bay of Quinte, (where
another “close season” is set apart
[?] [?] at this extermination) in

[Recto]

243

are actually sought to be wholly destroyed.
The Greedy fishermen uses every
protest, by misstatement of facts, by
signing petitions for political motions,
and by violating the fishing laws
in order that, he may gratify his
greed and avarice: And unless
the Fisheries Department at the
present day is determined to
be firm in upholding proper
“close seasons” by which the reduced
number of fish yet remaining
in our waters shall be protected
from molestation, or destruction
during their spawning time, the
waters of Ontario, and of the
other provinces likewise will
be wholly denuded of their
fisheries wealth.

I am Sir
Yours Obdly
Sam Wilmot