HISTORY OF THE 



j 



The fifliers enter the ice in regular order, each 

 man knows his department, and attends that only. 

 The firft man of the party advances towards a feal, 

 which he ftrikes immediately above the nofe with a 

 club attacks another kills it marches forward 

 towards a third kills that alfo. Thus advancing, 

 the whole field becomes a fcene of blood, ftrowed 

 with dead feals. 



When the firft feal is killed, the next perfon in 

 rank tears off* the {kin, which he leaves on the fpot, 

 and advances to the fecond, and fo on. A third 

 perfon takes off a layer of fat, with which the feal is 

 covered next the ikin, this he alfo leaves on the fpot, 

 and immediately follows the two former. Thus the 

 killer, the flayer of fkin and fat, with the remain- 

 ing crew, will fometftnes clear to the value of 500!. 

 within the fpace of 24 hours. When this happens, 

 they return with 'what they call a full cargo, which 

 abundantly reimburfes their employers. There is 

 alfo, at other feafons, an open-fea fifhery, by which 

 fortunes are acquired. 



The feal filhing in Scotland, is in fome refpects 

 fimilar. . The Scottifh feas are open through the 

 whole year, and the feals being of the amphibious 

 kind, frequent the caverns and openings of the rocks 

 upon the ftiore, where they bring up their young. 



The Hebrides, and the northern fhores of the 

 mainland, are the principal refort of the feals. Of 

 the former, Mr. Martin gives the following enter- 

 taining account, in his defcription of North Uift, a 

 part of the Long Ifland. 



cc On the weflern coaft lies the rock Confmil, 

 about a quarter of a mile in circumference, and it is 

 ftill famous for the yearly fifhing of feals there in the 

 end of October. This rock belongs to the farmers 

 of the next adjacent lands j there is one who furniih- 

 eth a boat, to whom there is a particular fhare due 

 on that account, befides his proportion as tenant. 



The 



