54 THE PISHEKIES. 



that of a noble river flowing by us, despoiled of its 

 gay and silvery denizens : lethe-Iike it rolls on, 

 whether foaming in flood, or sparkling and dimpling 

 in eddies ; on the surface, indeed, there is no change, 

 but we know there is no life within ; the skilful sal- 

 mon fisher is but too sure, and sees but too well, that 

 all is still and desolate beneath the waters. 



THE SEA AND COAST FISHERIES. 



This extensive and all-important branch of our 

 subject, will now claim attention. It would appear 

 from some of the clauses in the Fishery Act of 1842, 

 that there was some inchoate intention in the then 

 Government to cultivate those fisheries. Provision 

 is made in the I7th clause of that Act to facilitate 

 the purchase of land upon the sea-shore, for the pur- 

 pose of erecting curing-houses ; and in the 111th 

 clause, power is given to the Commissioners to hold 

 meetings, the object of which would appear to be, to 

 scrutinize and investigate as to the best means to be 

 adopted for the extension and improvement of these 

 fisheries, and to acquire information respecting them. 

 But as yet the word of promise has been broken to 

 our hope, and nothing whatever has been done on 

 this head since 1842. 



The sea fisheries may be described as a rich, but 

 uncultivated, waste surrounding our shores : it is 

 obvious that the resources of the sea are vast and 

 inexhaustible as itself, and that the extent to which 



