HERRING. 
196 
follow to prey on them ; but when the main body 
approaches, its breadth and depth is such as to alter 
the very appearance of the ocean. It is divided into 
distinct columns of five or six miles in length, and 
three or four in breadth ; and they drive the water 
before them with a kind of rippling ; sometimes they 
sink for the space of ten or fifteen minutes, then rise 
again to the surface; and in bright weather reflect a 
variety of splendid colours, like a field of the most 
precious gems, in which, or rather in a much more 
valuable light, should this stupendous gift of Pro- 
vidence be considered by the inhabitants of the 
British isles. 
« The first check this army meets in its march 
southward, is from the Shetland isles, which divide 
it into two parts ; one wing takes to the east, the 
other to the western shores of Great Britain, and 
fill every bay and creek with their numbers ; others 
pass on towards Yarmouth, the great and antient 
mart of herrings ; they then pass through the 
British Channel, and after that, in a manner, disap- 
pear : those which take to the west, after offering 
themselves to the Hebrides, where the great sta- 
tionary fishery is, proceed towards the north of Ire- 
land, where they meet with a second interruption, 
and are obliged to make a second division ; the 
one takes to the western side, and is scarce per- 
ceived, having been lost in the immensity of the 
Atlantic ; but the other, which passes into the Irish 
sea, rejoices and feeds the inhabitants of the coasts 
that border it. 
