CHAP. xiv. FISHES THE BEST DREDGERS. 283 



him along shore. They were not, however, beyond 

 the power of the elements. But for the tempest, that 

 tears them from the rocks, and dashes them on shore, 

 such objects would never have been found. When- 

 ever a storm occurred in the Moray Firth, Edward 

 immediately went out, collected the tangle which had 

 been driven in, cut off as many roots as he could carry 

 with him, and carefully examined them at home. 



He was also greatly helped by the fishes them- 

 selves, as well as by the fishermen. It is true that 

 he had no dredge and no boat. But big fish were 

 themselves the best of all dredgers. They fed far 

 out at sea, at a depth where the dredge could scarcely 

 reach. The fishermen caught them, and brought them 

 into port, full of what they had swallowed. Edward 

 therefore endeavoured to obtain the contents of their 

 stomachs. For this purpose he sent some of his 

 daughters to the neighbouring fishing villages. They 

 went to Macduff and Whitehills twice a week, and 

 to the Banff fishermen daily. The object of their 

 visits was, to search the fishermen's lines, to bring 

 away the sea-weed and all the stuff that was attached 

 to them, and to secure as many of the fish stomachs 

 as they could find. One of his daughters was sent to 

 Gardenstown, where she lived with a friend. From 

 thence, she sent home her collection of fish stomachs 

 twice a week by the carrier. All this rubbish (as 

 most people called it) was carefully examined by 

 Edward. From these searchings he obtained most 



