LOCH-FINE. FISHERY. 109 



of tins fish are taken annually in Lochfine, and bringing a higher price than those 

 taken in other parts of the coast, form a very lucrative branch of trade. Few 

 things can be more amusing to the curious stranger than to accompany the 

 fishermen when they go out in their boats to haul in their nets, as the corus- 

 cations produced by the fish in the water are exceedingly brilliant, and cannot 

 fail to surprise and interest every one not previously acquainted with such 

 phenomena. The boatmen, whose civility is proverbial, go out in the evening, 

 and, for a very small compensation, will enable the stranger to indulge his 

 curiosity. A dark windy night is best suited for their purpose ; they ge- 

 nerally ply to windward in order to have a speedy return to market in the 

 morning. After searching about for some time, examining the appearance of 

 the water, the flight of sea-fowl and other prognostics, the fishermen shoot their 

 nets, which are composed of separate pieces bound together with twine : on the 

 upper side is a back-rope, to which buoys of calf or dogskin are attached by 

 means of long lines, and thus the net is raised or lowered at pleasure. The 

 boat is then permitted to be at the end of the net, which serves, in some measure, 

 as an anchor ; a sail is converted into a covering for a tent ; a fire is lighted, 

 and the song and jest make the time pass lightly till the net is drawn, or a new 

 station selected. The fishermen contrive to make excellent cakes, and have 

 a method of dressing the fresh-caught herrings that might tickle the palate of 

 the most fastidious epicure. If the visitor has taken care to fill his own scrip, 

 and replenish his flask before coming on board, he will have no cause to regret 

 the length of the voyage. Three or four, and, at times, as many as five hundred 

 boats are to be seen on these occasions, " darkling in the silvery moonbeams," 

 and taking their stations opposite the town. Each of the boats is manned 

 by three or four men, who have regulations by which they are compelled to 

 abide, in respect to their modes of fishing, their hours, and their stations. 

 Much of their success depends on the proper depth to which the nets are sunk, 

 as the herrings sometimes pass over and sometimes under them. It is a 

 beautiful sight to behold the surface of the water silvered, as it sometimes is, 

 by the glancing play of immense shoals which crowd up to the very head of 

 the Loch, pursued by flights of sea-fowl, hovering over them with ceaseless 

 screams. By these signs the experienced fisherman discovers the particular 

 haunt which they have chosen ; for, in this respect, they often seem to be guided 

 by habit, though more frequently by accident or caprice. But to this we shall 

 again advert. 



At East Tarbert the aspect of the shore is particularly forbidding, and, owing 

 to many sunken rocks, the entrance to the harbour is very critical ; but when the 



VOL. II. F F 



