HERRING FISHERIES. 201 



Here therefore was a fum far exceeding general 

 conjecture, of which one part was pofitively funk, 

 and the other part in a train of being expended on 

 a property wherein the proprietors had fufficient rea- 

 fon to rely, till the (loppage of the bounty ; when this 

 property fuddenly fell in value, became a dead flock, 

 and could neither be fold nor transferred on any 

 conditions. 



Univerfal dejection, complaints, and murmurs 

 pervaded the whole weftern coafts of the kingdom ; 

 a general fufpicion, every man of his neighbour, 

 friend, or brother, fucceeded to mutual confidence 

 and reciprocal good offices. The payment of the 

 bounty, even at any diflant period, became doubtful. 

 In the mean time, numbers of thofe men who had 

 unfortunately embarked in expenfive undertakings 

 upon the faith of parliament, unable any longer to 

 pacify their creditors, found themfelves reduced to 

 the fad alternative of public bankruptcy, a jail, or 

 of flying to a country deflined to become the afylum 

 of the unfortunate, the injured, and the opprefTed 

 from all parts of thefe kingdoms, and of Europe. 



The more affluent or fortunate number, who had 

 been able to difcharge their engagements, feeing 

 themfelves ftill in pofTefiion of the vefTels and mate- 

 rials, were obliged to flruggle with the fifhery againft 

 all impediments, or fuffer the bufies to rot in the 

 harbours. The intreaties of the idle, the indigent, the 

 widow and the fatherlefs, who depended on this bufi- 

 nefs for daily fupport, contributed alfo to quicken the 

 refolves of the owners, who, during the four fucceed- 

 jng years, fitted out the following number of bufles, 

 on the fuppofed Scottifh bounty, befides a number 

 of vefTels who repaired to Whitehaven, to clear out 

 pn the Englilh bounty, then regularly paid. 

 In I7 6 7 _ _ -63 



1768 202 



89 



19 



The 



