70 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



the west of Norway resulted from the indomitable perseverance of the 

 hardy IlN^orseman. This may be partly true, but it should be remem- 

 bered the inhabitants of Shetland and of the north and east portion of 

 the Long Island are as nearly pure Scandinavians as are the inhabitants 

 of Bergen and other towns on the west of Norway; and, further, that 

 the fishermen in Lochfyne, who are pure Celts, are as energetic as they 

 are hardy and prosperous. As far as I can judge, the conditions on the 

 two seaboards have been entirely different. Putting aside the tradi- 

 tions inherited from the time of the vikings, the Norwegians have long 

 had a direct interest in the soil, and an excellent service of boats around 

 the coasts. By being to a great extent their own landlords, and by 

 reaping all the advantages of their labors, they have come to treat their 

 barren mountain sides in much the same spirit as the Italian cultivates 

 his vine-clad hills. But (what is of more importance from our point of 

 view) owing to the all but impassable nature of the inland districts and 

 the absence of railways, a wonderfully comi^lete system of communi- 

 cation has been established around the coast, which has fostered the 

 fisheries and led many of the natives to devote their undivided attention 

 to reaping the harvest of the sea. But Bergen is not entirely the 

 product of the Scandinavians. Its commercial importance resulted to 

 a great extent from the influence of the Hanseatic League which, during 

 the sixteenth century, monopolized the whole of the trade along the 

 west coast of Norway. Nothing could be more encouraging than the 

 manly way in which the fishermen in certain i)arts of the Lewis strug- 

 gle against their hard lot. In the absence of harbors they must rest 

 satisfied with boats that can readily be beached. In these small boats 

 they often brave the full force of the Atlantic, and return from their 

 fishing expeditions knowing that but small recompense can be obtained 

 for their labor, and grateful if, in the absence of harbors, they escape 

 having to drag their boat ashore through an angry surf. The want 

 of success for generations has had a depressing effect, but this would, 

 to the benefit of all concerned, undoubtedly disappear if a Hanseatic- 

 like League was to carry capital and organization into the Hebrides. 



Let me now conclude by stating shortly what is required before an 

 abundant supply of fresh fish can be placed in the market. Nothing 

 need be said now about fishiug boats; they have been gradually iu- 

 cre.isiug in size, and they will continue to increase until we are able to 

 send, if desirable, a large fleet to take part in the Faroe, Iceland, and 

 Lofodeu fisheries. This increase in size will go hand in hand with the 

 increase in number of deep-water harbors. Unfortunately the harbor 

 question is in an extremely unsatisfactory condition. Many of the ex- 

 isting harbors want improving and extending, and there are many fish- 

 ing villages around the coast that have been struggling for harbors for 

 years in vain. Some villages on the east coast that once had flourishing 

 curing establishments are (for want of harbors for the large boats now 

 required) becoming poorer and poorer, and unless harbors are built the 



