T79^* ^ voyage to the Hebrides. 177 



small ; — it is twenty feet long, — a very strong filh, 

 much the fliape of the lliark, except the head and 

 mouth ; but not of its disposition, being far from vo- 

 racious or dangerous ; — its ikin rough like fliagreen^ 

 When cut to the bone, the outward part seemed like 

 fifli, but the inward, near the bone, like flefli, — cer- 

 tainly eatable. In Iceland ropes are made of the 

 flcin which is tough and strong. In the evening went 

 a syeth-filhing with rods, liijes, and hooks. The 

 bait a white feather. Took in half an hour about 

 100, hooking them as fast as we could throv/ in the 

 lines. Some as large as tv/elve or fifteen pounds ; the 

 medium about one pound and a half. They come to the 

 surface, put their heads above the v/ater, and make- 

 what is called a play of fifti. The water bubbles as 

 if it boiled, and this is the fifhers guide. The herrings 

 make a play of the same kind. On Sandy Islandy 

 which forms one side of the harbour, the party dis- 

 covered a seam of coal cropping out to the surface ; 

 it did not exceed an inch in thicknefs ; — gathered a 

 balketful of the coal, — it burnt Yexy well. Encou- 

 ragement to try for a better vein of coal, or to pursue 

 the same. Heard also foal had been discovered in 

 Mull. It would probably be easier to find coal here, 

 than to get the coal tax repealed or commuted : Na- 

 tural difficulties are sometimes easier to overcome 

 than political ones, especially of the tax kind. 



7th July. In Cannay there are about three hun- 

 dred inhabitants, all Roman Catholics, a sober, quiet, 

 industrious race, and not contemptible fifhers, espe- 

 cially of.tlie sun-fifh *. The island, above six miles 



• The firs: sin-.-fiHi that was ever caug'it on these coasts v.'is by a m- 

 ' c of Cannay, en the Hwre of this isl.TiH, about twenty yeais ago. Aa 

 VOL, viii. Z t 



