196 HISTORY OF THE 



tinue invariably their courfe fouthward, as appears 

 from their periodical arrival on the coaft of Yar- 

 mouth, a land which projects far into the fea, and 

 thus intercepts both the fhallow and deep water 

 fhoals, where they may be taken every feafon in 

 great abundance. 



Therefore, to infure a certain annual fifhery on 

 the eaftern coaftsxrf Scotland, it would be expedient 

 to ftation a double line of cutters from one extre- 

 mity of the kingdom to the other -, viz. four fmall 

 cutters to be employed, without intermifiion, in 

 dragging the fea to the diftance of fix miles from the 

 Ihore ; and four larger vetfels employed in the fame 

 manner, and to extend the line from the fmall vcf- 

 fels to the diftance of thirty miles due eaft from 

 land. 



The herrings ufually keep at fome diftance from 

 the coaft in July and Auguft, and it is at this time 

 only that the fifhers follow them in the open fea. 

 About the end of Auguft, and until the middle of 

 September, they come into iliallow water, where 

 they remain for forne time in the bays and inlets of 

 the coaft, and this is termed the ground drave. 



Thefe circumftances being authenticated by the 

 Dutch and Scottifh fiihermen, would facilitate the 

 bufmefs of the cruifers, and render the efcape of the 

 Ihoals almoft impoffible. The ftations of the 

 veflels might be off the, Murray Firth, Peterhead, 

 Montrofe, and Dnnbar. Every difcovery fhould 

 be immediately communicated in writing, figned 

 by the mafter, with the particulars and dates, to the 

 magiftrates of the town that could be firft made, 

 though fuch town fhould lie beyond the line of 

 their cruife fouthward or northward. Such in- 

 .telligence fhould alfo be notified to the inhabi- 

 tants by the town bell, and exprelfes fent in 

 writing, and figned by the magiftrates, to all the 

 adjacent towns on the coaft. 



