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tenants. Some of them are brave, hardy, and success- Some of these are 

 ful fishermen, who in some seasons earn a very fair ^^^^^^^"• 

 living, and furnish a very considerable export of salt 

 fish. The annual average export of salt fish does 

 not fall short, I believe, of loo tons — a quantity 

 which, however considerable (representing not less 

 than ^2000), might be, and I hope will be, much in- 

 creased. Among the natives of the Hebrides who were 

 helped to come up to see the late Fishery Exhibition 

 in London, there were no finer-looking men than some 

 fishermen from Tyree, and I felt no small pride and 

 pleasure in their appearance when they called upon 

 me in London. The harvests of the sea are more Fishings, 

 precarious than the harvests of the land. But the 

 season of 1882 was one of the best on record; and 

 the price of good salted ling rose to the high figure 

 of £^0 per ton. The fishermen of Tyree labour under Want of safe har- 

 a great disadvantage in the want of any really safe*and ^^^' 

 commodious harbour. The only natural harbour is 

 not only a tidal one, but the entrance is very narrow. 

 On the west side of the Island, which is nearest 

 some of the best fishinoj-banks, there is nothinoj in 

 the nature of a harbour except some rocky bays, the 

 entrance to which involves considerable risk in dark 

 and stormy weather. Yet for many years fishermen 

 from the East of Scotland have come regularly to 

 Tyree, and have carried off" valuable cargoes of the 

 finest salt ling. A good many years ago I bought 

 and fitted out one of the large powerful boats which 

 are used by these East Country fishermen, and some 

 good work was done in her by the natives of Tyree 

 to whom she was lent. Of late, too, I have again 

 offered to two of my tenants who are enterprising 



