APPENDICES. 593 



the Earle of Seafort, w ch remaine there vpon small condicons. There are alsoe 

 divers of the said Inhabitants gentlemen w ch are the cheife tennants to the 

 Lord whoe lett out the land afterwards to the poorer sort at such rates that 

 they themselves sitt rent free. 



The whole rent of the Hand is valued at twelve thouzand Marks Scottish 

 money per annu besides the twoe Forrests and other Casualties, w ctl are valued 

 at sixe thouzand Markes more, w ch makes in all one thousand pounds sterlinge. 



The Comodities w ch the Island doth affoord is noe other thinge then Cattle 

 and some Pladinge an Tartan \v ch is a kind of woollen cloath wherewith they 

 cloath themselves. 



But the great and rich comoditie w oh might bee made of this land is the 

 Fishinge whereof the inhabitants doe make but small benefitt besides theire 

 owne food, there beinge in the Island not above a dozen boates w ch doe kill 

 anie fish for sale. But the Dutch w ch have fished there theis two last yeares 

 past have found that great and extraordinary gaine thereof, whoe onely w th 4 er 

 Busses w th 1 6 men and 25 netts in a Busse have within the space of three 

 monethes killd three hundred last of Herrings w cl1 Herrings by theire factors 

 and owne confession vnto mee was sold the last year at Danske for 400 gilders 

 p last w ch is about some 38 ii sterlinge at w ch rate the 300 last did come to 

 1 1400 ti of w ( ' h if there bee rebated one third part for all chardges (w ch is as 

 much as needs to bee) it will plainely appeare that those 4 or Busses in lesse 

 then three monethes space did make 7500 ti cleare gaine. The Master of one 

 of those Busses w ch transported me from the Island into the mayne continent 

 did protest vnto mee that the fish was in such great abundance y fc they were 

 sometymes constrained to cast it into the sea againe they haveing more in 

 halfe theire netts then they were able to save, and he was of opinion that if 

 there had bene a thouzand Busses more there was fish enough for them all. 

 As for the Cod and Ling the Dutch doth kill none of it themselves, but 

 buyeth it at easie rates of the Inhabitants ; w eh are alsoe so farr from haveinge 

 the true industry of killinge that fish, that one boate with our Newfoundland 

 men will kill more in a daie then they doe with one of theire boates in at 

 yeare. 



The Dutch have also made provision of fornaces and other necessaries for 

 the Whale fish, but they have not yett made any vse thereof, they beinge as 

 yet scarce settled in theire busines, there beinge noe more of them besides 

 Seamen yett then sixe servants and a P'acto r w ch are alwayes resident in 

 Stornway where they have built a pretty dwellinge house and a Magazine 

 where they lay vpp theire salt and caske and all other necessaries for theire 

 fishinge. 



The severall seasons for the fishings doe alter accordinge vnto the seasons 

 of the yeares. The first season for Herrings doth beginne about the be- 

 ginninge of June, and lasteth vntill the latter end of August. The second 

 fishinge for Herrings is from August vntill Micftmas, and then the Herrings 

 will bee shotten and come neare the shoare. And the last season for Herrings 

 is from Michmas vntill Christmas, and then they come in to the Loughes. 

 The two later seazons the Dutch cannott as yett make any vse of with their 

 great Busses, because the nights bee longe, and there is not scope enough for 

 them to drive within the Bayes and Loughes. 



Cod and Ling are taken all the yeare longe vpon the Coast, but the chiefest 

 season for it is from Christmas vntil Easter, soe that it doth appeare that if 

 there were vessells fitt for y e purpose the fishinge might bee continued all the 

 yeare longe either about the Island or in the Loughes over ag* it in the Con- 

 tinent or else vpon a certaine Banke w ch stretcheth on the west side of the 

 Island from one end thereof to the other about some 5 leagues of from the 

 shoare where there is abundance of Cod and Ling, and as I have bene cer- 

 tified by the Inhabitants of the Island that one fish taken there is as bigge as 

 twoe taken elsewhere, but this side of the Land is very little frequented 

 espetially by straingers by reason of the manie Rocks w cb are vpon that 

 Coast, and of the fowle seas w ch are brought in by the Westerne Ocean. 

 This last yeare there came in great stoare of young Whales into one of 



