THE TRAVELS OF PETER MUNDY IN DORSET. 43 



describe what he saw and heard with more accuracy than 

 some of these early travellers. The editor has taken much 

 pains to obtain information which will throw light upon the 

 present and former condition of things described in the travels 

 and has added many valuable notes. 



Before reaching Dorset, Mundy speaks as follows of lobster 

 boats coming from Cornwall to Weymouth. 



LOBSTER BOATES. 



" Beinge safely arrived and welcomed home by my friends, 

 in feiwe daies after I returned to London to sell some Indian 

 Commodities that would not off [go off, sell] in the Countrey, 

 and tooke my passage in a Lobster boate. There are 2 of 

 them that all the Sommer longe doe goe and come to the west 

 countrey to carry away such Lobsters as are there provided 

 against their Comeinge downe by men lefte there on purpose, 

 whoe buy them of the fishermen, and keepe them in potts till 

 they come for them. Theis boats may carry each about 100 

 dozen, somewhat more or lesse, and in one Sommer they may 

 carry away about 14 or 15000 Lobsters att the least. They 

 take them not aboard until the wynde be faire for them, and 

 then they lay them on the Ballace [ballast, i.e., in the hold], 

 and comonly within 48 howres they arrive att Weymouth. 

 What [with being] in the boate and on Horseback before 

 they arrive att London, they are neere 3 part dead of them, 

 which are little esteemed of and sold att low prices. With 

 the rest the King's Kitchin is supplied and then the Court and 

 Cittie 1 ." 



After a short allusion to Falmouth and Torbay he comes 

 to Portland. 



PORTLAND. 



" Next morninge wee departed and soe arrived att Wey- 

 mouth, where haveinge occasion to staye a day or two, I went 

 to the Peninsula of Portland, about 2 miles from the Towne 2 . 



1 A century later Cornish lobsters were sent direct to London by 

 "Well-boats." See Borlase, Natural History of Cornwall, p. 274. 



2 Four miles by land and three by water. 



