DEFENCE OF THE BUSS FISHERY. 365 



rafli adventurers j ignorant, negligent, and fo ex- 

 tremely foolilh, that what they got with one hand, 

 they threw away indifcriminately with the other. 

 And that there muft furely be fomething more than 

 ordinary abfurdity in fupporting that branch, and 

 thofe people. Happening, however, to be fully ac- 

 quainted with the whole progrefs of thefe fifheries, the 

 caufes of their decline, and the difficulties under which 

 they have laboured ; being alfo perfonally acquaint- 

 ed with many individuals in that line, intelligent, in- 

 defatigable, poflefled of much experimental know- 

 ledge, and anxious for the honour, the defence, and 

 the fafety of their country, I cannot, in juftice to 

 thefe ufeful members of fociety, admit that the doc- 

 tor's inlinuations, in whole or in part, have the final- 

 led foundation in truth. 



The adventurers in the herring branch at Greenock 

 and Port-Glafgow, are engaged more or lefs in mer- 

 cantile affairs, at home or abroad ; and fome of them 

 are perfons of confiderable capital. The inhabitants of 

 Rothfay in the ifle of Bute, have been in the fifhing 

 bufmefs for ages pad. They are more fuccefsful at 

 prefent than other towns on that coaft, and the rea- 

 ibn they give is worthy of being recorded. " There 

 are," fay they, " no fmugglers amongfl us, no idlers, 

 and fcarcely any beggars. Every man is employed, 

 and that employ is chiefly in the fifheries, the ancient 

 ftaple of Rothfay." 



The inhabitants of Campbeltown are thus defcrib- 

 cd, by a late writer, who vifited that place in his paf- 

 fage to the Hebrides, at a period when the fifheries 

 were feemingly flourifhing, and the traders in ap- 

 parent good circumftances. 



<c The town of Campbeltown has increafed confi- 

 derably fince the commencement of the bounty on 

 the herring Milling. The tonnage of their (hipping 

 is now ten to one what it was a few years ago j con- 

 icquently the number of failors, carpenters, coopers, 



and, 



