70 A HISTORY OF 



tried fishing off the north-west coast. The voyage 

 lasted from 3Oth April to 3rd July 1773, during which 

 period 1392 ling and 82 cod were caught. Similar 

 prizes were given to other Skerries men, who appear 

 often to have been pioneers in developing the untried 

 fishing ground of the north-west coast. During the 

 years 1776 and 1777, premiums for curing fish on this 

 coast were awarded. In 1774, a resolution was passed 

 to defend all fishermen prosecuted with vexatious law 

 suits, for watching and drawing their seins (or nets) 

 ashore, provided complaints were properly laid before 

 the Society. In July 1781, a sum of 200 was rate- 

 ably divided among a large number of claimants, for 

 consuming, in the cure of fish on the north-west coast, 

 home-made imported salt, at los. per ton, on the 

 amount of salt. At the same time, Gardiner Boggs 

 and Andrew Moore, received premiums for 694 and 

 100 barrels of herrings respectively, taken on the 

 north-west coast, and exported to foreign parts. Next 

 year, Boggs was able to show that the larger number 

 (860) for which he had claimed had been actually sold 

 in the island of Antigua, when allowance for the whole 

 was made him. Moore having later on proved that 

 the 178 barrels for which he had originally claimed 

 were actually sold in Jamaica, he having received sales 

 account from Bell and La Touche, his factors there, 

 full allowance was also made to him. Fifteen guineas 

 were also paid to Thomas Gregg, being a premium 

 on 210 barrels of herrings, which had been taken on 

 the north-west coast, and cured with bay or other 

 foreign salt. These had been exported to the island 

 of St. Kitts, in the ship Elinor, which was captured by 

 an American privateer, and Gregg concluded that the 

 cargo was disposed of in foreign parts. In 1782, 50 

 were paid to Messrs. Chambers, Hope, and Glen, of 



