FISHING ON SALT-WATER LOCHS. 441 



The arctic whales of the Sound of Mull are often danger- 

 ous, but the smaller species that venture into the inland sea- 

 lochs, called " black fish," are harmless, except when male and 

 female are swimming in company. The male has then been 

 known to attack boats. An experienced fisherman, who had 

 fished Loch Fyne for forty years, told me that he was once 

 anchored on the north side of the loch when a whale rose 

 close to his starboard bow. This did not much annoy him, 

 till another appeared about the same distance from the stern. 

 Thus placed between Scylla and Charybdis, there was nothing 

 for it but to wait patiently for the onslaught. To his great 

 relief, however, first one sank, then the other, when he made 

 for land at racing speed. 



This same observant fisherman told us on our arrival at 

 Balliemore that flat-fish spearing ended in October, as they 

 all left the shallow for deep water. When October came, 

 our best spearer brought home creels nearly as full as those 

 in July. His keen eye soon saw that, instead of leaving the 

 ground, the flounders only buried themselves in the mud ex- 

 cept the head and eyes ; so it only needed a sharper look-out 

 on a very clear day to ensure success. The old man was 

 thoroughly amazed when the spearing never fell off all winter. 

 The 1st of January being very bright and frosty, the holiday 

 board was graced by sixteen savoury flounders of large size, 

 taken only a few hours before. 



There was an excellent take of herring one night (July 29, 

 1862), but although the farmer before whose ground the shoal 

 appeared offered the highest price, he could not induce the 

 fishers to part with a single herring. They were all forwarded 

 to the " coupers," to be salted for sale in the Greenock or Glasgow 

 markets. The fishermen are afraid to offend these salesmen 

 by parting with ever so small a quantity on their own account. 



Two boats, headed by the Otter blacksmith, netted at the 

 same time five hundred mackerel, which were also sent away 

 by an express row-boat next morning. 



