SCOTCH FISHERIES. 169 



their new first-class boats with decks, at the same time 

 doing away with the mainmast, and carrying a larger 

 fore-lug. The little artificial harbour at Buckie affords 

 shelter to a good number of boats; but, like many 

 other harbours on this exposed coast, it is a dangerous 

 place to enter at certain times of tide, and often in 

 weather when a safe refuge is most to be desired. 



In the Beauly Firth, sprat-fishing is successfully 

 carried on, subject to the usual fluctuations in the 

 abundance and size of the shoals of fish. 



Wick, nearly at the north-east point of Scotland, is 

 the largest curing place after Frazerburgh, and for 

 many years occupied the first position as a herring 

 station on the east coast. Its situation particularly 

 exposes it to the effects of the winter storms, and deep- 

 sea fishing in that neighbourhood, whether by net or 

 line, is both dangerous and uncertain at that season. It 

 is hardly less so sometimes in summer ; for any diffi- 

 culty there may be in finding shelter under ordinary 

 circumstances is greatly increased by the large number 

 of fishing boats then working from that station. The 

 construction of a deep-water harbour, and easily ac- 

 cessible in bad weather, is therefore a matter of the 

 greatest importance to the fisheries; but, notwith- 

 standing the large sums which have been spent by 

 the British Fisheries Society, who have a property in 

 the harbour, and further sums advanced by the Public 

 Loan Commissioners, hardly a winter passes without 

 much damage being done to the piers by the tremendous 

 force of the waves which roll into the bay during 



