50 THE OYSTEE. 



men ; and dredging for oysters is carried on in fleets, as 

 the beds mostly lie within a comparatively small space. 

 The boats, which are about fifteen feet long, usually 

 carry a man and a boy, or two men. The dredge is 

 about eighteen pounds weight, and is required to be 

 heavier on a hard than on a soft bottom, and each boat 

 is usually provided with two dredges. 



In former days the commencement of the di'edging; 

 season was held sufficiently important to entitle it to an 

 civic ceremonial, at least such was the wont of the 

 municipal authorities of '' Auld Eeekie," who also paid: 

 a particular regard both as to the supply and the price of 

 the "' breedy creatuiTs" furnished to the good citizens of 

 Edinburgh. The " Feast of Shells" was ushered in by 

 the municipality of the ancient city making, for provosts 

 and bailiffs, a somewhat perilous voyage to the oyster- 

 beds in the Frith of Forth ; and though the solemnity 

 of wedding the Frith formed no part of the chiei 

 magistrate's office, as wedding the Adriatic with a golc 

 ring did that of the Doge of Venice, the welkin was 

 made to ring, as three cheers from all present uprose 

 and announced the lifting of the first di^edge upon the 

 deck of the civic barge. 



There is something poetical and pretty in the idea, 

 which once prevailed, that the oyster was a lover o; 

 music, and as the fishermen trolled their dredging net; 

 they sang, 



" To charm the spirits of the deep." 



The old ballad in use is still found in the mouth oJ 



