HERRING FISHERIES. 105 



that in moderate weather, it is ufually performed In 

 a few days. On the other hand, the palTage from 

 Greenock, Port Glafgow, and other towns on the 

 Clyde, is attended with fuch hazards, expcnces, da- 

 magtt, and delays, that it is fcldoin attempted ; 

 and therefore the adventurers, inltead of proceeding 

 to the North Seas, which, upon an average, would 

 take up more time than a voyage to Newfoundland, 

 wifh to clear out for the Hebrides, Loch Broom, 

 and other openings upon the coail of Inverneis and 

 Rofs (hires, where, in the fummer and autumn, 

 they would fall in with the (hoals, as they advance 

 towards the fouth. It might, therefore, be fuppofed 

 that the laws had been fo framed or explained, as 

 to enable the weftern fifheries to be on the fpot in due 

 time to avail themfelves of the offered bounty, and 

 to follow the fhoals through all their wanderings, 

 amidft that Archipelago of three hundred iflands. 

 The people underitood, that the ftatute pafled in 

 1771 had this in view, and that thcfe words, " and 

 lhall be at the place of rendezvous of the laid 

 hlheries, on or before tbe twenty-Jecond day cf June, 

 for the eafl coaft j and on or before the jirjt day of 

 Oftober, for the weft coe.fi , " gave them a difcre- 

 tionary power of clearing out at fuch times, be- 

 tween the twenty-fecond of June and the firlt day 

 of October, as might be molt Suitable to their 

 refpedive circumflances. They accordingly prepared 

 to clear out, ^d be at the place of rendezvous agree- 

 able to the exprefs conditions of the ftatute; but 

 I cat was their furprife, when they were informed by 

 : commilnoners of the revenue at Edinburgh, 

 that thofe who failed before the firjt Jw ttf 

 ber> would forfeit all title to the bounrv . 1 

 whole coal\ was alarmed ; every man advilcd with 

 his neighbour upon a proceeding fo lingular and ex- 

 traordinary. They referred to the act ; pleaded upon 



the 



