HISTORY OF THE 



Importance of the Wefiern Bu/s Fi/hery Difficulties 

 of the Adventurers, arifing from natural Caujes 

 Expediency of increafmg the Bounty Plan of a 

 Bounty per Barrel on Fifh taken, impracticable A 

 Boat Fifhery recommended The Means of eftab- 

 lifting it. 



Having ftated fundry reftri&ions, which in the 

 experiment have proved detrimental to the bufs 

 fifheries, and the poor natives of the Highlands, I 

 am under the necefiity of propofing a 5o-lhilling 

 bounty, as elTentially requifite to the reftoration 

 and permanent eftablifhment of that important fifh- 

 ery ; as well as the improvement of the whole line 

 of coaft, with all the ifiands, lying between the 

 Mull of Cantire and Cape Wrath. 



This liberal fupport, with the removal of certain 

 obnoxious reftriclions already mentioned, and others 

 which remain to be mentioned, would place the 

 weftern fifhers on an equality with thofe of the 

 neighbouring nations, and enable them to fupply 

 foreign markets as early as their rivals, and fome- 

 times earlier. 



The encouragements given by other dates, and 

 alfo the natural advantages which they enjoy, will 

 be the fubjedt of a feparate chapter; at prefent I 

 lhall chiefly confine myfelf to a comparative view of 

 the voyages to and from the refpective Scottifh 

 fifheries, a fubject which hath not hitherto been 

 elucidated. 



The voyage from the northern parts of the Euro- 

 pean continent, and alfo from the eaft fide of Great 

 Britain, to Shetland, is attended with no great diffi- 

 culty. The courfe is in a flraight line, through 

 an open fea, and the fails being fet, require no alter- 

 ation (ftorms and change of .wind excepted) till the 

 vefTel hath reached the fifhing ground. This voyage 

 being for a fummer fifhery only, is alfo favoured by 

 the mildnefs of the weather, and the length of the day. 

 i Under 



