ENGLISH r WHITE FISHERIES. 309 







the river, and are then from 12 to 16 inches in 

 length : they continue increafing in number and mag- 

 nitude till about the end of July, which is at Ber- 

 wick termed the height of gilfe time, a name given 

 to the fifh of chat age. They now leflen in number, 

 but increafe in fize, being in Auguft from 6 to 9 

 pounds in weight. 



The capture in the Tweed about the month of 

 July, is prodigious 5 in a good filhery often a boat 

 load, and fometimes near two, are taken in a tide : 

 From 50 to iro is very frequent: fome years ago 

 700 were taken at one haul. The feafon for fifning 

 in the Tweed begins November 30, but the fifher- 

 men work very little till after Chriftmas : it ends on 

 Michaelmas day j but the corporation of Berwic 

 (who are confervators of the river) indulge the fifh- 

 ermcn with a fortnight paft time, on account of the 

 change of the (tyle. 



There are on the river 41 confiderable fifheries, 

 extending about 14 miles upwards, which are rented 

 for near 5400!. per annum. The expence for 

 fervants wages, boats, nets, &c. amounts to 

 5000!. more, which together makes up the fum of 

 10, tool. 



The markets are the Mediterranean and London. 

 Thofe for the former are opened along the back j the 

 guts, gills, and the greateft part or the bones are 

 taken out, to make the infide as fmooth as pofTible. 

 They are then faked in large tubs, where they lie a 

 confiderable time in brine, and in October are 

 packed up clofe in barrels. 



But the demands from London, and the hig.h price 

 given by the fifhmongers in that voluptuous ciry^ 

 have of late almoft annihilated the export trade of 

 falmon, both from England and Scotland. 



Thus we perceive England to be environed with 

 flioals of fiih, btftli delicate and plenteous. The* 

 coafts of Northumberland and Durham abound in 

 falmon ; Yorkfhire and Lincolnlhire in white fifli 



u 3 



