SCOTCH FISHERIES. 159 



haven fishwives, with their picturesque costumes and 

 marvellous powers of work and tongue, still find plenty 

 of employment in helping their relatives, although 

 their labours in the disposal of the fish have been 

 much lightened since the construction of the coast line 

 of railway. Fishing with long lines is extensively 

 carried on from this place, and the lines in use are 

 of two sizes, those for cod and haddock. The haddock 

 lines carry from 800 to 1000 hooks each, on snoods 14 

 inches long and 2J feet apart, and mussels and lug- 

 worms are used as bait. The number of men in a 

 boat depends on her size, and whether the fishing is 

 carried on near or far from the land. The smaller 

 boats are used for the haddock fishery, as this is more 

 worked at no great distance from the coast. There is 

 a considerable trade in smoked haddocks, particularly 

 from Eyemouth ; and the curing consists in soaking 

 the fish in pickle for half an hour, and then hanging 

 them for four hours in some hardwood smoke. 



The haddock fishery from Eyemouth was very suc- 

 cessful in the early part of 1876. The largest boats 

 were used, with seven men in each boat ; and in one 

 week in January the boats were six times at sea, and 

 landed 20,000 stones of haddocks, which sold at an 

 average price of 2s. a stone, thus producing in that 

 short period no less than 2000Z. The haddock 

 fishing season lasts here from October to April, and 

 the average gain by each boat for the season usually 

 ranges fron 400Z. to 600Z. I have received this in- 

 formation from persons, whose business it is to make 

 themselves thoroughly acquainted with the results of 



