iSS HISTORY OF THE 



doors; it might be expefted we fhould be able 

 to take them at a much lefs expence by boats, 

 and cure them more perfectly on our fhoresj 

 and yet his majefty's fubjects have not yet been 

 able to eftabliih this rifnery effectually, pro- 

 bably from the poverty and neglect of the north- 

 weft parts of Scotland and Ireland, to both of 

 which countries every year comes as great an 

 abundance of herrings, as to any part of the world, 

 while the wretched inhabitants have neither a flock 

 of fait fufficient to fave even what they can catch, 

 nor a fufficient number of barrels to pack them in." 



Of the Eaftern Fijberies. 



The herring fifheries along the eaftern fhores of 

 Scotland, though lefs confiderable than thofe on 

 the coafts of Shetland, would, with proper atten- 

 tion, be of great national benefit. The northern 

 fifhery is almoil entirely engrofied by foreigners -, 

 that upon the eaftern Ihores might employ our 

 own people, afford relief to the inhabitants, and 

 become a confiderable article of foreign commerce. 



A fifhery near home may alfo be carried on with 

 greater expedition, and with lefs expence and ha- 

 zard, to the parties concerned. 



But, though the whole line of coaft from Caitl 

 nefs to Berwick is the occafional refort of herrings, 

 in their autumnal voyage fouthward, yet there is 

 not, in this courfe of 300 miles, (including the Mur- 

 ray Firth) a fixed or ftationary filhery, fuch as that at 

 Yarmouth, Donnegal, and Gottenburgh> where the 

 herrings arrive almoft to a certainty, and generally 

 at the fame period of time. The Ihores on the 

 eaftern fide of Scotland, that have been moft ge- 

 nerally explored, and have produced the greateft 

 quantity of herrings, are thofe of the Forth, and 

 the Murray Firth. The banks of the Forth, and 



the 



