SUNDAY FISHING 43 



and come up to the surface better on the 

 Monday night when the fishing is resumed. As 

 the herring dishke noise, and are frightened by 

 the continual disturbance, the idea of a respite 

 or weekly close time over the Sunday is un- 

 doubtedly well founded. The Manx, Scottish, 

 and Cornish fishermen engaged in the Manx 

 herring fishery are so strict in regard to Sab- 

 bath observance that they remain in port from 

 Saturday morning to Monday afternoon. Eng- 

 lish fishermen resent the loss of two nights' 

 fishing, and occasionally have attempted to 

 break through the custom. By the Scottish 

 Herring Fishery Act of 1815 herring nets set 

 or hauled within two leagues of the coast on 

 Sundays are forfeited. 



On some parts of the East Coast the shoals 

 are believed to be led by a shad, which is then 

 called a " demon herring." 



The most interesting superstition on record 

 comes, however, from Dr. Johnson's " Journey 

 to the Western Isles of Scotland." " It is held," 

 says the Doctor, who heard the legend while 

 staying with Macleod, " that the return of the 

 Laird to Dunvegan, after any considerable 

 absence, produces a plentiful capture of her- 

 rings ; and that, if any woman crosses the 

 water to the opposite island, the herrings will 

 desert the coast. Boethius tells the same 

 story of some other place. This tradition is 

 not uniform. Some hold that no woman may 

 pass, and others that none may pass but a 



