4472. Have you asked for a settlement to be made with you at that time?-I have not; because I thought there was no use doing it.
4473. There are entries here-by saith, by ling, by cod: were these for small fish caught during the winter?-There was a company of men who were pursuing the herring fishing; one part of the company were trying to prosecute the saith fishing for a time, until the others saw whether there were any herring to be got, and my proportion was one-twelfth share of the fish caught at the time.
4474. That was an extra thing altogether?-Yes; and each man's proportion was put in his account.
4475. Is the amount of cash paid you, £6, 14s. 7d., a usual sort of sum for you to get at settlement?-No; it is sometimes smaller. Sometimes it is nothing at all, and I have been in debt.
4476. Has that happened often?-Yes, it happened frequently for some years before that. I have no accounts for these years.
4477. I see that in 1865 there is marked a balance of £2, 1s. 5d. Was that a balance which was due by you the year before?-Yes.
4478. Then 1864 had been a bad year, and Mr. Bruce had advanced you money above the price of your fish for that year?- Yes.
4479. Was that money advanced to you after settlement?-No; it was a balance that had been carried over some years before.
4480. When that balance was existing, did you consider yourself obliged to deal in Mr. Bruce's shop rather than at another?-I was obliged so far to deal at his shop, because I could not think of going to another man and asking credit from him, when I saw no way of making provision to pay him. I could not expect any man to supply me in my necessity when I had no possible way of repaying him.
4481. But you were already in Mr. Bruce's debt?-Yes, at that time I was.