'326 " PSALM, JOHN " Ot WHELKHOLES. 



we nayther felt the cauld blast nor the showers. Cauldly and 

 greyly the short day fell upon the Berwick Law. Darker and 

 darker grew the gloamin', but nae word o' them we loo'd afore 

 a' the world. The nicht closed in at lang and last, and no a 

 soond o' the welcome voices. Eh, sir, aften and aften hae I 

 said, and sang ower tiU mysel', the bonny words o' poetry that 

 says — 



" His very foot has music in't, 

 As he comes up the stair. " 



But Archibald's feet were never mair till come pap, pappin, in 

 at the door. Twa sorrowfu' and lang lang days passed awa', 

 and the big waves, as if mookra' our sorrow, flang the spars o' 

 the boats up amang the rocks, and there was weepin' and waUin' 

 when we saw them, or in the grand words o' The Book, there 

 was ' lamentation and sorrow and woe.' We kent then that we 

 micht look across the sea, but ower the waters would never 

 blink the een that made sunshine around our hearths ; ower the 

 waters would never come the voices that were mair delightfu' 

 than the music o' the simnier winds when the leaves gang 

 dancing till their sang. My story, sir, is dune. I hae nae 

 mair tae tell. Sufficient and suffice it till say, that there was 

 great grief at the Pans — Rachel weepin' for her weans, and 

 wouldna be comforted. The windows were darkened, and the 

 air was heavy wi' sighin' and sabbin'." 



The following sketches of life and character as seen in 

 Scottish fishiiig communities may prove of interest to those who 

 are unfamiliar with such scenes. 



At Whelkholes the great specialty is " the herring.'' There 

 are curers at the " Holes," and about seventy boats go out during 

 the season to obtain that most abundant fish, which is captured 

 in its season in the immediate vicinity. Great excitement 

 always prevails during the herring season. It is looked forward 

 to as a time of money-making, and much speculation as to 

 whether the season wiU or will not be a " lucky " one prevails 

 from an early period. Psalm John, the village oracle, has made 

 the herring his peculiar study. He is the authority of Whelkholes 

 on all things pertaining to fishing economy. He tells his brethren 

 when it is time to start for the herring ; he knows full well what 

 signs indicate the appearance of that fish. When he sees the 

 dolphin sporting in the bay or the birds skimming the water, 

 then he knows that herrings ate there. For some days before 



