2?6 HISTORY OF THE 



them with (lores, fifhing tackle, &c. at their own 

 prices. 



The fecond method of canning on this fifhery 

 Is by boats fingly, of 2 tons burden, and 6 men 

 each. 



In fummer jhey fifh at the diftance of 7 to ig 

 leagues from land ; and in winter at the diftance of 

 3 leagues. The depth of water to the neareft banks 

 is about 140 fathom, and clear ground. 



The fummer fifhery is carried on from the ift of 

 June to the ift of Auguft. The boats go out three 

 times in the week, and continue 24 hours, each time. 

 The large boats carry from 100 to 120 lines; each 

 line frorh 54 to 60 fathom in length, and hung with 

 1 5 hooks at 20 feet afunder from one another. The 

 fmall boats take in their lines only once during the 

 trip. They ufe hand lines in winter, when long 

 lines cannot be managed. They bait with a fmall 

 fifh called pollocks when at fea. If thefe cannot be 

 procured, they ufe cod, turbot, haddocks, or any 

 other fifh. This is a dangerous, or more properly 

 a defperate fifhery ; but the poverty of the people 

 pre'vents them from employing larger vefTels. They 

 have frequently a flrong head-wind upon their return, 

 which fometimes keeps them 16 hours in the voyage 

 from the fifhing ground, when they are obliged to 

 throw many of their fifh. overboard, befides the da- 

 mage to the remainder. Many lives are alfo loft 

 in this boat fifhery. 



Of tie Helrlde or North Weft Fijhery. 



Taking our direction weftward, we come to the 

 the third divifion of the white fifhery; to ftores of 

 wealth yet in referve for die whole weflern coaft of 

 Scotland, from the head of the Solway firth to the 

 coaft of Iceland, lying at the diftance of 400 miles 

 N, W. from the Long Ifland in the Hebrides. 



We 



