ITS WORK IN THE LEWIS 57 
be able “to furnish London with some plenty against the 
hard time of winter.” 
The busses of the Association did not, of course, confine 
their attention to the seas around the Lewis. It was soon 
found, in fact, that the fishing on the coast in the lochs and 
about the islands near the Lewis was “ very commodious 
and profitable ” to the native fishermen, with their smaller 
vessels, but was by no means so suitable for large busses 
such as those owned by the company. 
Around the coasts of Britain, fishing was carried on in 
very much the same fashion as in former years. Simon 
Smith, agent for the Royal Fishery, writing in 1641, gives 
a detailed account of the operations throughout the fishing 
season, his' statement differing little in general character 
from those we have already seen. The fishers, according 
to his narrative, were accustomed to resort to the coast of 
Shetland by the beginning of June, and looked for the 
herring to “rise about Crane Head . . . the outmost part of 
Bratio Sownde, within two leagues, sometimes more, where 
the Herrings doe abide about fourteen dayes.” Thence they 
went to “ Farry Isle, which is within seven leagues to the 
Southward of Sheteland where the Herring continue three 
weekes round about that Farry Island.” 
The next fishing ground lay “ thirty leagues to the South- 
ward of Farry Iland, the Fishing place called Buffin Deepes, 
twenty leagues to the Northward of the Frythe, where the 
Herring abide about fourteen dayes, and fourteen dayes 
more in the Fishing under Chivet Hills and Chivet Chase.” 
Thence the fishers followed the herring to the Dogger 
Bank, where they stayed sometimes a month, sometimes 
six weeks; about the beginning of September the herring 
were followed “into the Yarmouth Seas”; the fishing 
1The Herring Busse Trade (1641), by Simon Smith, agent for the 
Royal Fishery. 
2 Tid. 
