The Bays and Harbours about it, are very numerous and convenient, and being deeply indented, makes it eaſy for any Intelligence quickly to paſs from one Harbour to another over Land; eſpecially the principal, St. John’s and Placentia, when the Appearance of an Enemy makes them apprehend Danger.
They are able to cure and export about 100000 Quintals (100 Weight each) of Fiſh, annually, which returns to England in Money, or the neceſſary Commodities of Portugal, Spain and Italy. As it therefore expends abundance of Rum, Moloſſus and Sugar, the Product of our Weſt-India Colonies, and employs a Number of Fiſhermen from home every Seaſon, by whoſe Induſtry and Labour only this Fiſh is purchaſed, it may very well be reckon’d an advantagious Branch of Trade.
But the preſent Deſign of this Digreſſion being not to give an exact Deſcription of the Country or Fiſhery; but rather how it accidentally contributes to raiſe, or ſupport the Pyrates already rais’d, I ſhall obſerve,
Firſt, That our Weſt Country Fiſhing-Ships, viz. from Topſham, Barnſtable and Briſtol, who chiefly attend the Fiſhing Seaſons, tranſport over a conſiderable Number of poor Fellows every Summer, whom they engage at low Wages, and are by their Terms to pay for Paſſage back to England. When the Newfoundland Ships left that Country, towards Winter, in the Year 1720, theſe Paſſengers muſter’d 1100, who, during the Seaſon of Buſineſs, (the Hardneſs of their Labour, and Chilneſs of the Nights, pinching them very much) are moſtly fond of drinking Black Strap, (a ſtrong Liquor uſed there, and made from Rum, Moloſſus, and Chowder Beer;) by this the Majority of them out-run the Conſtable, and then are neceſſitated to come under hard Articles of Servitude for their Maintenance in the Winter; no ordinary Charge, indeed,when
