TO HIS EXCELLENCY SIR THOMAS JOHN COCHRANE KNIGHT GOVERNOR AND
COMMANDER- IN- CHIEF IN AND OVER THE ISLAND OF NEWFOUNDLAND AND ITS
DEPENDENCIES & & &
THE HUMBLE PETITION of the distressed Planters and Fishermen 
of BONAVISTA and BIRD ISLAND COVE.
HEREWITH

THAT the unprecedented failure of the Fishery has involved your 
Petitioners in circumstances of great distress and deprived 
therefore of all expectation of winter supplies from their 
respective Merchants.
THAT on an enquiry instituted for the purpose of ascertaining 
the actual condition of the inhabitants of Bonavista and Bird 
Island Cove it was found that a large proportion of them are 
totally destitute of [?] food except the Potatoes produced 
in their own Gardens.
THAT in five hundred and eighty seven ascertain Cases the quantity 
of Potatoes when dug is estimated at an average of only about three 
barrels and one eighth of a barrel for each individual.
THAT the Stores of Bonavista do not contain any Provisions to 
meet the wants of the Population.
THAT your Petitioners cannot calculate upon anything being brought 
for their relief until the Month of June next.
THAT their stock of Potatoes is exhausted which will be early 
in the Winter Starvation must be the inevitable consequence.
Your Petitioners therefore HUMBLY PRAY that YOUR EXCELLENCY 
will be pleased to take the above facts into YOUR compassionate 
consideration and afford them such assistance as in YOUR 
EXCELLENCY'S judgement may seem expedient and their exigencies 
require.
AND your PETITIONERS as in Duty bound shall ever PRAY.

John Hebbard

[?]ity      X              James
Abbott      X              James
Abbott                     Abraham
Abbott      X              Ann
Abbott      X              Hugh
Abbott      X              Hugh, Jr.
Abbott      X              Hugh, Sr.
Baker       X              William
Bradley     X              Elizabeth
Bradley     X              Mary
Bright      X              William
Brown       X              William
Burge       X              Thomas
Burton      X              Stephen
Burton      X              Susan                          Sus
Byrne       X              John
Callaghan   X              Timothy                        Callihan
Carpenter   X              Richard
Carpenter   X              Thomas
Carroll     X              James
Cawsons?    X              William
Chaffey                    John                           Cheffy
Chaffey     X              Thomas                         Cheffy
Chalk       X              John, Sr.
Chard       X              Mary
Clark       X              William
Coffey                     Maurice
Colbert     X              John
Colbert     X              Patrick                        Patk
Cole                       Benjamin
Cole                       Charles
Coles       X              George                         Cole
Coughlan    X              James                          Cauchland
Cox         X              Joshua
Crab        X              William
Davis       X              Ann
Davis       X              John
Dorey       X              William                        Dory
Dunn        X              Samuel, S(r).
Dunn        X              Samuel
Durdle      X              Joseph
Easton      X              John                           Eason
Edmonds     X              Henry                          Edmond
Elliott     X              Thomas
Etsel       X              William                        Yetsell
Faulkner    X              Jesper                         Fogner
Faulkner    X              John                           Faughner
Fielden     X              Joseph                         Feimbell?
Fifield     X              Mary                           Filfeld
Gatehouse?  X              Thomas                         Whitehorn?
Goodland    X              William
Gould?      X              Henry                          Could??
Gray        X              John
Green       X              Humber
Habgood     X              William
Hallett     X              Lander                         Hollett
Hallett     X              Orlando                        Hollett
Hampton                    James
Harris      X              James
Hayward     X              Thomas
Hewlett     X              Nicholas                       Hawlott
Hicks       X              Robert                         Hix
Hicks       X              Stephen                        Hix
Hicks       X              Thomas
Hollahan    X              William
House       X              Mary
Joy         X              Thomas
Keats       X              Philip                         Kates
Keats       X              Samuel                         Kates
Keele       X              Moses, Sr.
Keele       X              Moses, Jr.
Keele       X              Samuel
Kentle      X              Mary
Lander      X              Elizabeth
Legge       X              Joseph                         Legg
Legge       X              Margarett                      Legg
Legge       X              Nancy                          Legg
Linthorne   X              Benjamin                       Linthorn
Linthorne   X              George, Sr.                    Linthorn
Linthorne   X              George                         Linthorn
Little      X              John                           Littles
Little      X              William                        Littles
Lush        X              John
Minchin                    Thomas    [TC Note] Signs his name Menchiner??/ Minchines Why??
                                           Knows how to write but can't spell??
Mesh        X              Ann
Mesh        X              Joseph
Mesh        X              Richard
Mesh        X              Thomas
Miles       X              John, Sr.
Miles       X              John, Jr.
Miles       X              John                           Myles
Morey       X              James                          Moory
Murphy                     Elizabeth
Pardy       X              Henry
Pardy       X              John
Pardy       X              Thomas
Paul        X              William, Sr.
Paul        X              William, Jr.
Pearce      X              William                        Pearse
Pearcey     X              Hannah                         Pearcy
Pearcey     X              James                          Pearcy
Pearcey     X              Nathan                         Pearcy
Pearcey     X              Nath                           Purcy
Pearcey     X              William                        Pearcy
Phillips    X              William
Phillips    X              William
Pladwell    X              Thomas                         Pludwell
Porter      X              Thomas
Powell      X              Henry                          Power
Powell      X              James                          Power
Powell      X              Martha
Powell      X              Richard                        Power
Power       X              Peter                          Peeter Power
Reader                     James
Reader                     John
Reader                     Thomas
Rolles                     Rebecca                        Roles, Rebecka
Rowe                       Henry
Ryder       X              George
R?der                      Robert
Saint                      James
Sanger                     Charles
Sexton      X              Stephen
Shelley     X              Joseph                         Shelly
Shelley     X              Joseph                         Shelly
Shelley     X              Josiah                         Shelly
Short       X              Robert
Simmonds    X              John                           Simmons
Simmonds    X              William
Squires     X              Simon
Stafford    X              Martha
Stagg       X              Edward                         Stag
Stagg                      Susan
Sweetland   X              Joseph                         Swatland
Sweetland   X              William
Swyers                     Philip                         Swyres
Tilly       X              Thomas
Tucker      X              Nebuchadnezzar                 Nebuzeraradar
Wade        X              Mary
Way         X              James
Wells       X              John
Wells       X              Mary
White       X              Edward
White       X              Mary
White       X              Thomas
Wicks                      Richard                        Micks
Wiltshire   X              William                        Wilsher
Woods       X              James


TC Note: The above names were rearranged in alphabetical order 
by me and surnames spelled properly where possible. The original 
document should be consulted to ascertain possible neighbours. 
Printed in "The Newfoundland Ancestor" Vol 6/1.