204 HISTORY OF THE 



Of the Time of Charing Out. 



It hath been obferved, that the arrival of the her- 

 rings on the coaft of Shetland is certain and almoft 

 to a day, on or before the 2 ad of June, when the 

 bufTes and yawgers of various nations are ready to 

 receive, and forward them without delay, to their 

 refpe&ive countries. 



Such hath ever been the forefight, expedition, 

 and wife policy, of the Dutch in particular ; while, 

 on our part, the nature and bufinefs of the fifheries 

 have been fo little underftood, or fo fhackled by mif- 

 reprefentation and unneceflary reftraints, that almo'ft 

 .every ftatute relative to the Hebride fifherf, however 

 well intended by the legiflature, has, in a greater 

 or lefler degree, defeated its own purpofe, 



We have alfo obferved, that the Dutch follow 

 the eaftern fhoals without ceafmg, in their migra- 

 tions from the Shetland iflands fouthward ; and we 

 have likewife recommended the fame practice to the 

 Britifh bufTes fitted out on that fide of the kingdom, 

 by which we may, as Sir William Monfon obferves, 

 f{ undertake the Hollanders with our own weapons ; 

 and equal them with pinks, bufTes, and other vefTels ; 

 till we be made partners with them in their fifhery." 

 It is now propofed to Hate the diftinftion between 

 the eaftern and weftern fifheries, and to fuggeft fuch 

 amendments as feem beft adapted to the latter, the 

 conveniency of the adventurers, and the merchants 

 trading to the Weft Indies'. 



The paflage to Shetland from Holland, Ham- 

 burgh, Denmark, and the eaftern fide of Great 

 Britain, is through an open lea, uninterrupted with 

 iflands, rocks, or far projedting capes j infomuch, 



that 



