202 WHALE-FISHERY. 



put into Shetland, and those for Davis' Straits into 

 Orkney. But, in the present time of peace also, 

 several ships, in consequence of the higher wages de- 

 manded by the l^^>iiglish seamen, have availed them- 

 selves of a late extension of the act, for permitting 

 a certain amount of extra men to be taken on board 

 in Shetland, or Orkney, during the continuance of 

 the bounty system. This privilege being originally 

 intended to terminate vv^ith the war, it became an ob- 

 ject of justice to the Shetland and Orkney people to 

 extend it to peace also. Since these islanders had 

 formerly furthered the interests of the fishers, and en- 

 abled them to send more ships than otherwise could 

 have been manned, it was only reasonable that no 

 obstruction at least, should be offered to prevent 

 the fishers from repaying them for the accommoda- 

 tion tliey afforded in time of war, by continuing to 

 employ them after the establishment of peace. 



Ill Shetland, it is usual for the fishennen to 

 trim their ships, and complete their ballast, by 

 filling most of tlieir empty casks with water, where 

 it has not previously been done^ — to replenish 

 their fresh water, — to lay in stocks of eggs, fish, 

 fowls, sea-sand, &c., — to divest the ships of all 

 elevated lumber, and gaudy appendages to the 

 m'asts and rigging, by the way of preparing them 

 for enduring the Polar storms, with greater safety 

 and convenience, — and, lastly, to fix a " crowds 

 nesW' or " hurricane-house," on the mast of each ship. 



