SALMON-FISHERY OF SCOTLAND. 25 



or fifteen minutes, then rise again to the surface, and in bright 

 \veather reflect a variety of splendid colours, like a field of the most 

 precious gems, in which, or rather in a much more valuable light, 

 should this stupendous gift of Providence be considered by the inha- 

 bitants of the British Isles. 



" The first check this army meets in its march southward is from 

 the Shetland Isles, which divide it into two parts ; one wing takes 

 the east, the other the western coast of Great Britain, and fill every 

 bay and creek with their numbers : others pass on to Yarmouth. 

 Those which take the west, after offering themselves to the Hebrides, 

 where the great stationary fishery is, proceed towards the north of 

 Ireland, where they meet with a second interruption, and are 

 obliged to make a second division : the one takes to the western 

 side, and is soon lost in the Atlantic ; but the other, which passes 

 into the Irish Sea, rejoices and feeds the inhabitants of most of the 

 coasts that border upon it. Were we to consider this partial migra- 

 tion of the herrings in a moral light, we might reflect, with venera- 

 tion and awe, on the mighty Power which originally impressed in 

 this most useful body of His creatures the instinct that directs and 

 points out their course, that blesses and enriches these islands, which 

 carries that, at certain and invariable times, to quit the vast Polar 

 deeps, and offer themselves to our expecting fleets. It is not from 

 defect of food that they put themselves in motion, for they come to 

 us full fat, and on their return are almost invariably observed to be 

 lean and miserable." 



Another later writer * of great intelligence states, 



" It appears from various reports that all the herrings which visit 

 the British shores proceed, in the month of June, in one great body, 

 from a high latitude, and from a great distance, to the north-west of 

 the Shetland Isles. On one occasion particularly, this immense shoal 

 was discovered by Provost Finlay of Campbeltown, an experienced 

 seaman and herring-fisher. Many leagues to the north-west of 

 Shetland he passed through a shoal of herrings, the extent of which 

 he estimated at twenty leagues in length, and four or five in breadth. 

 At this time they seemed all to observe the same course, their heads 

 being directed the same way, which was to the south-east. The 

 weather being fine, the shoal came sometimes to the surface of the 

 water. This great shoal, when it approaches our coast, divides 

 itself into two divisions, one of which takes the west, the other the 

 east coast of the kingdom, sending detachments into the different 



* Dr Walker. 



