HISTORY O F T H E 



till the end of Julys then returned home, ihifted 

 their nets again, and fifhed acrofs the opening 

 of the Forth from Fifenefs to Eyemouth, fo long 

 as the feafon continued. Here they generally met 

 with fuccefs, and gave certain intelligence to the 

 open boats (of which they were ufually lharers) 

 where to lay their nets for the herrings, near the 

 Ihore in ihallow water. When this fifhing was 

 over, the fame bufTes, with a frelh ftock of nets, 

 failed by the Pentland Firth, to the Hebride fifh- 

 ing, and there remained among the lochs and bays 

 of Sutherland, Rofs and Invernefs Ihires, till 

 Chriflmas, then returned home, and laid up their 

 bufles to be repaired : while thefe bold men, who had 

 tmdergone incredible fatigues and dangers, inftead 

 of loitering idly at home, went out immediately 

 in open boats, fifhed upon the coaft till March, 

 and thus, by conftant practice, incredible fatigues 

 and danger, became the hardieft and moft expert 

 filhers in Europe, 



The herring-fifhing in the Forth, by open boats, 

 was thus conducted. The boats belonged partly 

 to the bufs fifhermen above mentioned, but 

 the greateft number, belonged to fhip carpen- 

 ters, and other perfons on (hore, who built and 

 equipped them purpofely to become adventurers in 

 the trade. Two or three fifhermen collected fix or 

 ieven landmen, to make up the crew for this fifh- 

 ing, which was called a dreve, which fignifies a 

 drove. Every filherman had, for the moft part, 

 one net of his own ; but the reft of the nets were 

 taken in from the net-makers, and other individu- 

 als, as iharers in profit and lofs during the feafon. 

 One perion was appointed to keep their ftock-purfe, 

 to lay in provifions, and to receive the money for 

 all the herrings fold. When the fifhery was over 

 they made up their accounts : the expenditure on 

 provifions, ftock, and accidents, was deducted from 



whaj 



