T H'fc H I G H LAND S. 1 15 



demand his immediate attention to keep them in 

 exiftence. 



The feafon now approaches when he is again to 

 delve and labour the ground, on the fame (lender 

 profpect of a plentiful crop, or a dry harveft. The 

 cattle which have furvived the famine of the winter, 

 are turned out to the mountains ; and, having put 

 his domeftic affairs into the bed fituation which a 

 train of accumulated misfortunes admits of, he re- 

 lumes the oar, either in fearch of the fummer her- 

 ring, or white fifhery. If fuccefsful in the latter, 

 he fets out in his open boat upon a voyage (taking 

 the Hebrides and the oppofite coaft at a medium 

 diftance) of 200 miles, to vend his cargo of dried 

 cod> ling, &c. at Greenock or Glafgow. * The 

 produce, which feldom exceeds twelve or fifteen 

 pounds, is laid out, in conjunction with his com- 

 panions, upon meal, and rifhing tackle -, and he 

 returns through the fame tedious navigation. 



The autumn calls his attention again to the field j 

 the nfual round of disappointment, fatigue, and 

 diftrefs awaits him j thus dragging through a 

 wretched exiftence, in the hope of foon arriving in 

 that country where the we any ihall be at reft. 



Prfany other circumftances might be reprefented 

 in this picture of human mifery, of which I (hall 

 at prefent mention orrly two. In time of war, thofc 

 who engage in the tifheries are indifcriminatrly 

 prefied, without the fmallcft regard to cafes or cir- 

 cumftances, however diftrefllng to the 

 victims and their itarving families ; while ethers, 



* The'largeft fifli are generally taken off B;irra, a part of the 

 Long I (land, about 200 miles from Giafgow. When a lioat ar- 

 the town bell is Ibnt round, the people flock to the quay, 

 and the filh are inmv '-damm -.-h. Were 



ten times that quantity hi ought to Glafgoiv, and ihe other trading 

 towns on the Clyde, they wculu rind a rcadv :n u iijr, to the mutual 

 benefit or all parties; but this cannot happen until the j 

 Ihall be ftioricned by th- : .ila of 



'ire. 



