12,693. Have you been prevented from doing so?-Yes; we have been prevented in this way, that we were obliged to go to Mr. Adie with all that we had, or else we would have been put out of our crofts.
12,694. Did anybody ever interfere with you selling to Mr. Robertson?-If it had been known that it had been done, they would have interfered; but no man, so far as I know, ever put the produce of his farm or of his fishing past Mr. Adie.
12,695. Do you know of any person being fined for selling to Mr. Robertson's man?-No; but I know that my father was fined 2s. 6d. for selling a dozen of eggs to a man at the lighthouse station. That was in 1858.
12,696. Was that by Mr. Umphray?-Yes.
12,697. Was he Mr. Adie's factor at that time?-Yes.
12,698. Do you know of anybody having been fined in the same way since?-No; except men going to Greenland, or going any other way where they think they can be better. They are fined in this way, that every man, young and old, on the island, is obliged to fish for Mr. Adie.
12,699. But if a man goes to Greenland he is not on the island?- No; and it is for that reason he is fined.
12,700. But if he is not on the island, how can he be fined?-He comes back in the winter.
12,701. Who has been fined in that way?-I was fined, for one, in 1855.
12,702. Have you been at the Greenland fishing since that?-No.