THE OYSTER AT HOME. 267 



than a soft bottom, and each boat is usually provided with 

 two dredges. 



In former days the commencement of the dredging 

 season was held sufficiently important to entitle it to a 

 civic ceremonial, at least such was the wont of the muni- 

 cipal authorities of " Auld Reekie." who also paid a parti- 

 cular regard both as to the supply and the price of the 

 " breedy creatures' furnished to the good citizens of 

 Edinburgh. The " Feast of Shells ' was ushered in by 

 the municipality of the ancient city, making, for provosts 

 and bailiffs, a somewhat perilous voyage to the oyster-beds 

 in the Frith of Forth ; and though the solemnity of wed- 

 ding the Frith formed no part of the chief magistrate's 

 office, as wedding the Adriatic with a gold ring did that of 

 the Doge of Venice, the welkin was made to ring, as three 

 cheers from all present uprose and announced the lifting 

 of the first dredge upon the deck of the civic barge. 



Raised out of his native waters, the oyster makes the 

 voyage to the first station in his destined travels, in the 

 company of those to whom long and kindred ties have 

 bound him, on board the smack upon the deck of which 

 they were jointly landed from the deep ; and during the 

 whole voyage, if it prove a long one, he is attentively sup- 

 plied with refreshing water, so that when the smack lies 

 alongside the wharf at which he is to part company with 

 his captors, he is still as lively as when they first took him 

 as a passenger on board. 



Arrived in port, the oyster first truly becomes sensible 

 of the miseries of slavery. Shovelled into sacks, or cast 

 anyhow into carts and handbarrows, he may consider him- 

 self fortunate if a kindly hand but extends to him, in his 

 great necessity, a drink of water impregnated w r ith salt, 

 instead of his own delicious beverage from the sea. Yet 



