FISHING STATIONS— SCOTLAND. 293 



cliange from what they have been accustomed to, that 

 it is unlikely an alteration will soon be made in this 

 matter, unless indeed the disadvantage of the present 

 rig' should become more apparent to them from a 

 difficulty in lowering the mainmast in the large decked 

 boats now coming into use. The objection which has 

 been made to the use of a mizen on account of the in- 

 convenience of having anything outside the boat when 

 hundreds of boats are going in or out of harbour, or 

 are berthed together at their moorings, will hardly 

 bear consideration, unless we can suppose that Scotch 

 fishermen are incapable of handling a boat with an out- 

 rigger or running it in out of the way when it is not 

 wanted. Manx, Cornish, and Irish fishermen have no 

 difficulty in such matters ; and during the herring- 

 season in the Irish Sea the harbour at Howth may be 

 seen crowded with their fishing boats rigged in this 

 manner. Whether there be fifty or five hundred boats 

 in a fishing harbour they are pretty sure to be crowded 

 together ; and there is no practical reason why there 

 should be more difficulty in taking up a berth in one 

 case than in another. The advantage of a mizen if 

 there be a necessity for making short tacks when work- 

 ing in or out of harbour . need not be enlarged upon; 

 and we expect the Scotch fishermen would find much 

 less use for their oars than at present if they could be 

 persuaded to make a change. 



On part of the Banff line of coast a boat locally called 

 a " scaith " is in use. It is altogether unlike the rest of 

 the Scotch fishing boats, and if this style of build had 

 been of a recent instead of an old fashion on this coast, 

 it would certainly be supposed to have been taken from 

 the Americans. Although we have seen several of these 

 boats under sail, we have not had au opportunity of 



