195 



church of the village, which is most liberally supported by them. So 

 secluded and orderly are their general habits, that they are scarcely 

 thought of in the town of Galway, on the borders of which they reside, 

 except indeed on the festival of St. John, one of their great gala days, 

 when the whole male community parade the streets, dressed in their 

 holiday clothes, with banners flying, and other rural antic devices, to 

 attract the attention, and excite the merriment of the spectators." 



Here we see that the Claddagh men, so far from being in the state 

 of necessity that goads almost irresistibly to vice and crime, live and 

 have lived, from generation to generation, in comfort, and content, 

 subject only to those occasional depressions which the vicissitudes of 

 the elements, or general and sudden political changes, must produce 

 upon them as well as on every other class which depends upon daily 

 labour for subsistence; and therefore, must infer, that if the generality 

 of the fishermen in other districts be different, the effect is attributable 

 to circumstances unconnected with the nature of their employment. 



XIX. 



EXTRACTS from a PAPER delivered to tlie COMMITTEE of 1824, 

 on the SALMON FISHERIES. By Sir G. S. MACKENZIE, Bart. 



" As the streams forming the sources of rivers are the least liable to 

 be affected by vicissitudes of weather, and as Salmon naturally push 

 for these, it is of the utmost consequence to allow the early fish to 

 escape, in order that they may reach them, and there deposit their 

 spawn in safety. 



" The Salmon has many enemies, which prey upon it at all the 

 stages of its growth ; and it is obvious that when these enemies happen 

 most to abound, the Salmon will be more scarce than when the num- 

 bers of its enemies are reduced. While in the state of spawn, and 

 when emerging from the ova, eels, pike, trout and birds, devour the 

 young. The water ousel, though a small bird, appears indefatigable 

 in its search for the spawn of Salmon and other fish. Every kind of 

 water fowl is destructive of spawn, and of the young fry. The otter 

 destroys considerable numbers of grown fish, and this enemy may be 

 more numerous than is commonly supposed, as he does not expose him- 

 self much to observation. 



" But these enemies are of little consequence when compared to those 

 which the fry have to encounter in the sea, and the Salmon on its way 

 to the rivers. It is impossible to protect the fry from natural enemies 

 in the sea, but I think much may be done to save the Salmon from the 

 attacks of the porpoise and seal. The former of these is often con- 

 founded with the grampus, which is much larger, and is not so numerous, 

 though more indiscriminately voracious. The porpoise is seldom more 

 than seven feet long, while the common grampus reaches to twenty- 

 five feet. While the porpoise will repay the trouble of capture, the 

 grampus is of little value. A porpoise, it is said, will yield a hogshead 

 of oil, and its flesh was in former times eaten at the tables of the rich. 

 The skin is said to be valuable for making leather. The value of the 

 seal is well knawn ; it is very destructive of Salmon, and follows 

 them even into the fresh water. Hitherto no adequate means have 



